Adoption of draft plan an important step in Liberties’ regeneration

Dublin City Council adopted the Draft Liberties Area Plan at their meeting on 2nd February. The plan contains amendments which were made following an extensive public consultation period. The plan will give context and clarity to the local community and to developers on what constitutes acceptable planning in the Liberties. The Council expects the final six-year plan to be adopted in May after further public consultation. According to Assistant City Manager Michael Stubbs, “This plan works well with the City Development Plan and specifies what is acceptable planning for the Liberties in key areas like height, density, social housing, economic activity and conservation. I would like to thank the many members of the public who submitted observations and the local South Central Councillors who submitted motions which resulted in many amendments.” The draft plan places a cap on height in the Liberties. The highest building allowed in the Liberties will be in Grand Canal Harbour, where a limit of 40m, or approximately 12 storeys, will apply. It also makes an allowance for a height cap of approximately 16 storeys at Victoria Quay near Heuston. However this is subject to development not obscuring views of the city from Phoenix Park and being compatible with historic Steeven’s Lane. The plan also includes a requirement that Diageo receive agreement from the South Central Area on their Masterplan before redeveloping their historic St. James’s Gate lands. Evelyn Hanlon, Dublin City Council’s Project Manager for the Liberties Regeneration Project, says the draft plan and amendments reflect the concerns and aspirations of the local community and their elected representatives. She says, “The final plan will reflect how the local community want to see the Liberties develop. It includes many social and community regeneration objectives. The Councillors are keen to retain social housing in the Liberties Regeneration Area at 29%. It also includes objectives for new parks, libraries, community facilities, childcare and sports, and play areas. Locals, visitors and workers will all benefit from the objectives for parks and open spaces as many people in the Liberties currently live in apartments or in homes without gardens.” For Further information please contact: Dublin City Council Press Office: (01) 2222170/086 8150010, E. info@dublincity.ie Evelyn Hanlon, Project Manager, Liberties Regeneration Project 086 856 0373, (01) 222 5153, E. evelyn.hanlon@dublincity.ie Notes to editors: In total, the public submitted 78 observations and South Central Councillors submitted motions which resulted in 144 amendments. Other objectives in the draft plan include: - Thomas Street and its environs should become an Architectural Conservation Area. - A proposal to construct a pedestrian bridge over the Liffey from the Croppy Acre at Collins Barracks. - Pedestrianisation of the Liffey Quays from Watling Street to Heuston, this will entail a new road to take traffic going west. - A corridor for Luas Line F. - There is also an objective to recreate the historic Newmarket square and to recognise its important Dutch Billy houses.