Lansdowne plan hits house snag

The €365 million redevelopment of Lansdowne Road stadium could face a major setback following the decision of Dublin city councillors to seek advice on preserving a building scheduled for demolition under the plans.

Councillors in the southeast of the city are seeking to add the building, a Victorian house adjacent to the stadium on Shelbourne Road, to the Record of Protected Structures (RPS) against the advice of the council management and its conservation officer.

The councillors yesterday decided to seek an independent opinion, from An Taisce and the Civic Trust, on the merits of preserving the building, which the conservation officer said was not of "sufficient architectural interest" to warrant inclusion on the RPS.

The plans for the 50,000-seat stadium require the demolition of the house at 70 Shelbourne Road to make way for a new entrance to the grounds.

Number 70 is part of a terrace and its demolition would be likely to affect surrounding properties. The councillors are seeking to add the houses from number 4 to 70 to the RPS, in order to protect the entire terrace.

The house has been acquired by the Lansdowne Road Stadium Development Company, but the council could still scupper the redevelopment plans if it decides to add number 70 to the RPS.

Inclusion on the RPS protects buildings from significant alteration or destruction.

Ciarán McNamara, the executive manager with the council's planning department, yesterday warned councillors against adding the house to the RPS because of possible legal action by the stadium developers.

Councillors said yesterday that they felt they had not been given adequate reason to list the buildings and agreed to seek an independent opinion from An Taisce and the Civic Trust.

"This is the only terrace of its kind in the area and I do think it's worth preserving," said Labour councillor Dermot Lacey.