Mews may make double guide price

The sale of the last two remaining Georgian mews buildings on St Stephen’s Green has reached “preferred bidder” status at a price rumoured to be more than double the guide.

Dublin City Council decided to sell the buildings to the rear of 14/15 St Stephen's Green recently despite calls from Dublin Civic Trust not to separate them from their associated houses, which are also in council ownership.

Savills brought the mews buildings to market eight weeks ago at €350,000. Cianan Duff of Savills says they had more than 110 enquiries and between 50 and 60 parties viewed the property. Mr Duff confirmed the sale had reached “preferred bidder” status, but gave a firm “no comment” on the rumoured sale price.

Given their central location with easy access to the lively nightspot of Dawson Street, it’s expected the mews buildings could be converted into a market/cafe venture or an upmarket pub/restaurant.

Any changes to the mews buildings, which are listed inside and out, and stand on a site of 249sq m (0.03 acres), can only be made subject to the planning process.

The property is currently zoned Objective Z5 in the Dublin City Development Plan 2011-2017. This zoning seeks “to consolidate and facilitate the development of the central area, and its identity, reinforce and strengthen and protect its civic design character and dignity”.

Permitted uses include betting office, community facility, cultural/recreation uses, deli, internet cafe, live/work units, media uses, nightclub, retail and residential.

“The property has the potential to accommodate an exciting new mixed-use development,” says Mr Duff.

Coach house

The two mews buildings were constructed between 1778 and 1779 and used as a coach house into the 20th century. A preliminary report in the Historic Heart of Dublin project observed that the “survival of a mews house in St Stephen’s Green is rare in itself but the survival of one in this level of intactness is really astonishing”.

It noted the “highly unusual sash windows with octagonal panels” which were “quite possibly unique in Ireland” while the interior of the mews at 14 St Stephen’s Green was “almost completely intact” retaining “timber and iron stall dividers, mangers and other equine features”.

"We are unaware of any other mews houses in Dublin which retain this level of intactness and that are in relatively good condition," the authors, Frank Keohane and Erika Sjöberg, noted.

Any decision to sell the buildings must be ratified by councillors.