Council land to kick start Liberties redevelopment

Dublin City Council is planning to use its land holdings in the Liberties to kick start a regeneration scheme which it claims will be on "a similar scale to Ballymun".

The council's New Vision for the Liberties will involve the land - which amounts to some 21 hectares (nearly 52 acres) - being developed for public and private housing, community facilities and commercial enterprises.

The Liberties plan is bounded by Francis Street to the east, St James's Hospital to the west, Cork Street to the south and Thomas Street to the north.

The area includes much industrial and urban heritage including the City Basin and the former Grand Canal Harbour as well as the Iveagh market. It also has some important historic sites such as the Abbey of St Thomas, founded in 1177 to commemorate Thomas Beckett.

Like its counterpart Brick Lane in London, the area was built outside the walls of the city and was renowned for weaving. It is also home to the Guinness brewery.

One project at the design stage is the reintroduction of water to Grand Canal Harbour. The new waterway is to be surrounded by retail outlets, offices and apartments. Council planners point out the area already has a thriving entertainment industry based around Vicar Street and the Tivoli Theatre.

International architecture firm John Thompson and Partners has been appointed to develop the project.

A series of consultation evenings for the local community, beginning tomorrow night at St Catherine's Sports Centre, Marrowbone Lane, is also planned.

Announcing the plan yesterday Dublin city manager John Tierney said the scheme was not yet finalised and wouldn't be until the local community had been consulted. "Instead of us presenting the community with a draft scheme and asking for their views, we will work together to develop a vision for the area", he said. "The Liberties project will look at new housing opportunities for the area . . . There seems to be enough space to build more and better apartments in the area for social, private and affordable use" he added.

Evelyn Hanlon, who is to manage the scheme, told The Irish Times the proposed Luas Lucan line was expected to go through the area the scale of the project will be similar to Ballymun". The timescale for the plan is eight to 10 years.