Permission for Carlton site granted

Property developer Joe O'Reilly has secured planning approval for the redevelopment of the Carlton Cinema site in central Dublin.

The permission - which is valid for seven years - covers a 2.7 hectare site encompassing most of a block of Upper O'Connell Street and fronting onto Henry Street, Moore Street, O'Rahilly Parade and Parnell Street.

The site has considerable historic interest encompassing much of the escape route for the leaders of the 1916 rebellion and their ultimate final headquarters in nearby Moore Street, now a national monument. It also has considerable architectural interest and importance being at the centre of the capital city.

However the site has mainly lain derelict since 1979.

Under the new permission it will now be developed as "Dublin Central" with a pedestrian access route taking the form of a "colonnade" leading from O'Connell Street through to Moore Street.

This will provide a new, linear pedestrian route starting at Upper O'Connell Street, passing through the new centre and continuing under a covered walkway across Moore Street and into the Moore Mall, Plaza and Central Mall of the Ilac centre.

The development site includes a number of protected structures at Upper O'Connell Street, and Moore Street including notably number 16 Moore Street, the last place where the self-declared members of provisional Irish Government held their council of war, in 1916.

Mr O'Reilly is a well known developer whose most notable project has been the Dundrum Town Centre in south Dublin. A number of Mr O'Reilly's business loans with Irish banks, have recently been scheduled for transfer to Nama.

It is understood that Mr O'Relly has already agreed a deal with major UK department store John Lewis, to be one of the largest anchor stores in the development.

The decision has been welcomed by Mr O'Reilly.

It has also been welcomed by Fine Gael leader on Dublin City Council, Gerry Breen. Mr Breen was involved in negotiations between various potential developers and the city council over recent years.

The application was subject to a number of third party appeals from individuals and such bodies as: Patrick J. Buckley; The Save 16 Moore Street Campaign Committee; V. M. O'Shea; the National Graves Association Ireland; An Taisce; Relatives of the Signatories of the Proclamation of Independence and Treasury Holdings Ltd. Some 16 further groups were listed as observers.

The permission is subject to a 31 conditions not of which are expected to be sufficient to put the project in doubt. Conditions relate to the conservation of the national monument at Moore Street, the preservation of interiors in protected structures, traffic management, employment of a conservation architect and an archaeologist on the project, and financial levies covering city council services, Luas and Metro.

Conditions also stipulate the Railway Procurement Agency be consulted before work gets under way, in relation to the plans for Luas and Metro North.