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A rendering of what the hotel could look like as part of plans submitted to DCC Redline Studios

Plans for new hotel on the Liffey's quays in Dublin opposed with claims it will destroy views along the river

The developers paid €3.3 million to acquire the property last year.

PLANS FOR A large new hotel on the Liffey’s quays in Dublin are facing opposition from local councillors, businesses and residents as well as a leading heritage group over claims it will destroy views along the river.

Objectors have expressed concern about the excessive height of the proposed eight-storey building on the corner of Usher’s Quay and Usher’s Street with An Taisce claiming it would fundamentally alter views along the Liffey that have been preserved for 200 years.

Property investment partners, Warren Private and the Greenleaf Group, are seeking planning permission to demolish the existing three-storey building on the site which has been vacant since 2006.

The developers, who paid €3.3 million to acquire the property last year, want to construct a 106-bedroom hotel in its place.

Whitbread, the UK hospitality group which owns the Premier Inn hotel chain, has an agreement to lease the new hotel which will be reach almost 24 metres in height.

The development, which is expected to create up to 40 full-time and part-time jobs, has also received support from Fáilte Ireland which claimed it would help to address a shortage of tourist accommodation in Dublin.

However, An Taisce said buildings along the Liffey’s quays need to act as “a calm mass” to act as an effective backdrop to key monuments such as the Four Courts and the Custom House.

“The arrangement of subservience between the Liffey’s monuments and its ordinary buildings has been observed for the last 200 years at least and an eight-storey tower in the subject location would fundamentally change this relationship,” said An Taisce.

It also expressed concern about the proposed change of use of the site which already has planning permission for the construction of a seven-storey apartment block and said the plans for the hotel ran contrary to the council’s own Living City Initiative tax incentive scheme which is designed to encourage people to live in the historic inner city.

An Taisce claimed concern had been voiced from many quarters about the excessive construction of new hotels and other short-stay accommodation facilities in recent years and the “parallel absence” of new “sorely-needed” suitable and affordable homes in the city centre.

Residents of nearby Oliver Bond House said there were already a number of hotels in the area as well as homeless and addiction services which primarily served the needs of transitory populations rather than local people.

They also expressed concern about disruption from construction work, traffic and noise generated by the proposed hotel.

Sinn Féin councillor, Críona Ní Dhálaigh, said she supported local residents about their concerns but also called for the developers to be obliged to provide jobs to local people if the hotel was allowed to go ahead.

“There’s a total overconcentration of hotels and transient accommodation being built in this area. In fact, that’s all that seems to be getting built,” said Ní Dhálaigh.

She added: “We urgently need affordable family accommodation in the area.”

People Before Profit councillor, Tina McVeigh, said there were mixed views among local residents about the project as they recognised it would offer employment opportunities.

McVeigh questioned if a report provided by the developers justifying the need for a hotel was “outdated” given the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The developers claim the hotel will “enhance the streetscape by creating a vibrant and lively frontage” onto the river as well as contributing over €2.5 million to the economy each year.

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72 Comments
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    Mute Briscoe Sundara
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    Jun 7th 2020, 12:52 PM

    There’s nothing special about that view along the Liffey anyway. Most of the buildings are shabby at best. Not sure why we want to preserve it. We should be trying to improve it.

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    Mute Pat Coyne
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    Jun 7th 2020, 1:31 PM

    @Briscoe Sundara:

    How is that hideous structure improving the view?

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    Mute Mickety Dee
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    Jun 7th 2020, 1:38 PM

    @Pat Coyne: Have you seen the dregs it will be going in beside?

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    Mute Tommy Roche
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    Jun 7th 2020, 2:20 PM

    @Mickety Dee: So, throw in this monstrosity bevause there are even worse buildings beside it ? It’s an eyesore.

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    Mute Conor Kennelly
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    Jun 7th 2020, 3:47 PM

    @Pat Coyne: why, do you personally know people living in the area or is it your prejudices that are informing you?

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    Mute Gary Kearney
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    Jun 8th 2020, 8:11 AM

    @Briscoe Sundara: People are trying to improve and part of that is stopping ugly large buildings like this being built by the river.

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    Mute Hector Son
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    Jun 7th 2020, 12:49 PM

    Existing site has been vacant for 14 years ! Dont see the issue, 8 stories is nothing.

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    Mute Briscoe Sundara
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    Jun 7th 2020, 1:01 PM

    @Hector Son: I think there is a 7 story building not far away already.

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    Mute Paul Hedderman
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    Jun 7th 2020, 2:05 PM

    @Hector Son: Exactly, and more hotels needed to make prices competitive and attract more visitors eventually

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    Mute Gearoid OLaoghaire
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    Jun 7th 2020, 2:21 PM

    @Hector Son: @Hector Son: Wrong. The 3 storey building they want to demolish is only vacant since the latter part of 2019.It was being used by an English language school who moved out when the building / overall site was sold to its current owners. I know this for a fact as I’m in one of the adjacent apartment blocks and passed the building in question daily.

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    Mute TL55
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    Jun 7th 2020, 2:25 PM

    @Briscoe Sundara: Also the article states there is existing planning for a 7 storey building so an 8 storey is not really a huge amount higher

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    Mute DeWitt
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    Jun 7th 2020, 2:59 PM

    @Hector Son: not strictly true. A small part of the site has been vacant.

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    Mute steve white
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    Jun 7th 2020, 3:00 PM

    @Hector Son: deliberate dereliction, you fell for it

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    Mute Hector Son
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    Jun 7th 2020, 3:44 PM

    @steve white: ah, ok. It’s what it says in article. Thanks

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    Mute Sean Fahey
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    Jun 7th 2020, 4:05 PM

    @Hector Son: There should be a minimum usage of 10 stories for sites like this, we need to use city space more efficiently, not worry about preserving imaginary world famous skyline views and build, build, build. Fast track planning and stop pretending we’re preserving some important standards of architectural integrity in the area. If it provides accommodation, build it.

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    Mute Gary Kearney
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    Jun 8th 2020, 8:13 AM

    @Sean Fahey: Should we not just demolish the old city like they did Mount Street and build ugly boxes instead so people can live in modern tennaments

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    Mute Lukevic101
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    Jun 7th 2020, 1:16 PM

    Should be building upwards not outwards to keep up with other European cities. Should be 28 stories not 8.

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    Mute Joe
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    Jun 7th 2020, 3:27 PM

    @Lukevic101: sort of agree with you. Yes we should be going much higher. But I think 8 storeys is enough in this area.
    We should be building a lot higher but in a designated area as happens all over the world US included. Cities generally have a few blocks of very high rise and then it shrinks right down.
    Paris is low rise for the most part with the exception of La Défense, Amsterdam doing the same.
    The area like this in Dublin should be around the docks and maybe where they have planned right in the city centre!

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    Mute Lukevic101
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    Jun 8th 2020, 12:36 AM

    @Joe: yeah to be fair the height of capital Dock works for the area. Perhaps developers should build the 8 stories with potential to expand upwards on an existing building at a later date when regulations are lifted/amended.

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    Mute Rochey77
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    Jun 7th 2020, 1:07 PM

    8 storeys should be the accepted minimum for city centre development, except in architectural conservation areas. Which this isn’t.

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    Mute Paul Cunningham
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    Jun 7th 2020, 12:42 PM

    Depends on if its an eyesore or not, eight floors is low enough as it is.

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    Mute Briscoe Sundara
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    Jun 7th 2020, 1:10 PM

    @Paul Cunningham: I doubt it’s worse than what’s there at the moment.

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    Mute Thomas Quinn
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    Jun 7th 2020, 1:17 PM

    That area badly needs some renovation. It would enhance the view not detract from it.

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    Mute Paul M. Barrett
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    Jun 7th 2020, 1:42 PM

    It looks absolutely awful some people seem to think building anything is better than a vacant site. Do we still need more hotels???

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    Mute Ian Breathnach
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    Jun 7th 2020, 1:45 PM

    @Paul M. Barrett: do we still need vacant sites?

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    Mute Isabel Oliveira
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    Jun 7th 2020, 4:03 PM

    @Paul M. Barrett: worst part the original planning permission is for a residential property and they’ve gone and changed it to this monstrosity and a hotel .

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    Mute Lisa Saputo
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    Jun 7th 2020, 12:42 PM

    Pushing ahead with these plans just show how far removed from reality property developers are. They are not smart people.

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    Mute Alan Wright
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    Jun 7th 2020, 1:01 PM

    @Lisa Saputo: jaysus. You’d have us back living single story dwellings or caves. Societies, cities and the world moves on. Do you dream of keeping everything 200-300 years old?

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    Mute Honeybee
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    Jun 7th 2020, 1:10 PM

    @Alan Wright: Isn’t it amazing when we all visit old cities in Europe that we marvel at the beautiful old buildings , do you think many stop to admire and photograph our glass boxes after we have knocked Georgian Dublin. Visit the west of Ireland and see lovely old shop fronts and pubs or do you prefer a pvc and tiled facing? time was there were lovely old shop fronts and book shops along the quays, like stepping into a Dickensian movie but we have moved on and now …more glass boxes.

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    Mute Alan Wright
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    Jun 7th 2020, 1:14 PM

    @Honeybee: but its not an old Georgian building they are removing. Do you know the area/site.

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    Mute Mickety Dee
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    Jun 7th 2020, 1:39 PM

    @Honeybee: None of that is relevant to this application

    29
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    Mute John Buckley
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    Jun 7th 2020, 1:42 PM

    @Lisa Saputo: they have agreed a lease with a top hotel chain and you think they are not smart. What an idiotic statement.

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    Mute Honeybee
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    Jun 7th 2020, 1:42 PM

    @Alan Wright: All of the buildings on Ushers quay were constructed in the reign of George the 1st , it was city planners and developers who destroyed this beautiful quay and allowed the physical decay but to replace the current building with what is portrayed in the picture above ….do you really think many visitors would like a picture of an orange glass box?

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    Mute Whoswho
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    Jun 7th 2020, 2:22 PM

    @Alan Wright: Any Georgian built property is better than that horrific proposed building

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    Mute Lisa Saputo
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    Jun 7th 2020, 2:34 PM

    @Alan Wright: I would be delighted if they built an eight storey residential dwelling, but this is a hotel. We need homes, not more hotels.

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    Mute TL55
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    Jun 7th 2020, 2:35 PM

    @Whoswho: Maybe any well maintained one but the dilapidated buildings along the quays are fairly ugly imo.

    That said I would prefer to see a 7 storey apartment block with a Georgian facade, but if it has to be a hotel let it have a Georgian facade.

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    Mute Alan Wright
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    Jun 7th 2020, 3:12 PM

    @Honeybee: Youre wrong. Even a simple Google map streetview will show you the type of buildings there. Not Georgian, but 1990′s. Your faux outrage is actually childish and laughable.

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    Mute Fergus
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    Jun 7th 2020, 5:29 PM

    @Alan Wright: can confirm. A lot of the buildings are absolute trash with a few exceptions.

    And we have sooooo much Georgian architecture all over Dublin city, whether its Mountjoy, Baggot, Merrion, Stephens Green, Harcourt and surrounding. Not to mention North Great George’s St so on so forth. There is plenty of history retained in the city.

    Take the aircoach down to Heuston, from The Point to O Connell looks beautiful, once you get past Temple Bar it all goes down hill from there. I mean Guinness have a massive factory, hardly beautiful.

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    Mute Dino
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    Jun 7th 2020, 11:58 PM

    @Honeybee: Dublin is a kip, nobody comes to take photos of buildings, they come for the pints and the craic and if they want photo’s they head out to the countryside to see real Ireland

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    Mute Gary Kearney
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    Jun 8th 2020, 8:16 AM

    @Dino: AS always the wonderful Dino always the happy positive person speading happiness from under his bridge

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    Mute Emer Caffrey
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    Jun 7th 2020, 1:16 PM

    It looks like a monstrosity, a total eyesore

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    Mute Michael Cunningham
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    Jun 8th 2020, 1:56 PM

    @Emer Caffrey: That terra cotta colour doesn’t help.

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    Mute Cormac Laffan
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    Jun 7th 2020, 2:07 PM

    Was that thing designed by Minecraft?!

    50
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    Mute Seriously
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    Jun 7th 2020, 2:18 PM

    The views? It’s Dublin lads, not Paris

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    Mute Marc Power
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    Jun 7th 2020, 4:54 PM

    @Seriously: bord taisc relics are clueless

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    Mute Lisa Ennis
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    Jun 7th 2020, 2:17 PM

    Its not the design that bothers me as much as the use or reasoning for the build. Could we not sort out the issue of ‘Much needed Tourist accommodation’ if we sorted out the issue with *much needed residential accommodation*? That way we could free up the existing tourist accommodation for actual tourist and not have people trying to live in cramped hotel rooms?

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    Mute Bryen O Murchu
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    Jun 7th 2020, 2:17 PM

    what’s wrong with putting a new hotel where the “ruined” skeleton of the Old Ormond Hotel still haunts the Liffey like a ghost from the past ? plenty of room for apartments if a compulsory purchase was arranged. It’s a blight on the Liffey as it to-otters on the brink of collapse .

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    Mute Gearoid OLaoghaire
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    Jun 7th 2020, 2:27 PM

    @Bryen O Murchu: This is planned for Ushers Quay. Old Ormond Hotel is on Ormond Quay.

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    Mute Cormac Harrington
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    Jun 7th 2020, 1:51 PM

    Ushers Quay is one of the ugliest parts of Dublin. The part of the building that will front onto the Liffey is quite lovely and not shown in the photo.

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    Mute Keith Mac Suibhne
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    Jun 7th 2020, 3:16 PM

    Another hotel is not needed. Better to use the space for affordable rent/buy housing for city workers.

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    Mute Marc Power
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    Jun 7th 2020, 5:42 PM

    @Keith Mac Suibhne: and you know this how?

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    Mute J
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    Jun 7th 2020, 4:12 PM

    I’ve never seen a large building in Dublin. We don’t do large buildings. And what view is it spoiling? It’s about as boring a view as you’ll get in any capital city as it is.

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    Mute Marc Power
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    Jun 7th 2020, 4:41 PM

    @J: bland, uninspiring and gray

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    Mute artur filip
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    Jun 7th 2020, 2:52 PM

    I know is ugly but “excessive height of the proposed eight-storey building”. Seriously 8 storey building is exessive??

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    Mute Isabel Oliveira
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    Jun 7th 2020, 4:06 PM

    @artur filip: river banks should not accommodate high rise . It’s common sense and planning unless you want to live in a concrete jungle.

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    Mute artur filip
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    Jun 7th 2020, 6:49 PM

    @Isabel Oliveira: 8 storey is not high rise where did you get that idea?

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    Mute Isabel Oliveira
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    Jun 7th 2020, 3:55 PM

    My eyes hurt . That’s one ugly piece of wannabe architecture .

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    Mute John Quinn
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    Jun 7th 2020, 5:34 PM

    They never thought about the views of the Liffey when that horrible Liberty Hall was built years ago.

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    Mute Stephen Brennan
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    Jun 7th 2020, 1:15 PM

    Why would you want a view of the stinking Liffey

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    Mute Marc Power
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    Jun 7th 2020, 3:43 PM

    Lots of small city thinking in comments here. Ignoring the problems that exist in many of the local housing estates and blaming everything on a building that will add colour to an ugly part of a city with many ugly parts. Bord taisce is populated by relics and it needs to be replaced by something from the 21st century

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    Mute Vincent Byrne
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    Jun 8th 2020, 2:36 AM

    @Marc Power: what? Can you re-read your post. It doesn’t make sense! Random comments about colour of building and housing estates…

    Taisce are right. This will be an eyesore for there. Wrong building for that location.

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    Mute Derrick Hambleton
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    Jun 8th 2020, 8:42 AM

    @Marc Power: Whats this thing Bord taisce you are speaking about? And what do you know about it? As it appears to me that you have no idea who they are or what it is, what it does and who it represents!

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    Mute Joe Toner
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    Jun 7th 2020, 9:55 PM

    Looks like a bale of briquettes!

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    Mute adrian j aungier
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    Jun 7th 2020, 8:33 PM

    An Taisce object to everything. Professional crackpots. It would destroy of view my bill@x

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    Mute Noel Donohue
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    Jun 7th 2020, 8:10 PM

    It will end up a direct provision centre

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    Mute adrian j aungier
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    Jun 7th 2020, 8:34 PM

    He he An Taisce. Professional objectors. View my boll@x

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    Mute Chris Gaffney
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    Jun 7th 2020, 8:53 PM

    Build the dam thing and shut down An Taisce urgently!

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    Mute Barbara FitzGerald S
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    Jun 8th 2020, 2:56 AM

    The colour is dreadful keep it at 7 or chand planning to residential

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    Mute Gary Kearney
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    Jun 8th 2020, 11:01 PM

    Ugly building in the wrong place and too tall for the location.
    Look at the IFSC, souless place at any time, no feeling of where you are.
    We have the river the city and people want design by numbers buildings in it.

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    Mute Mislav Smok
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    Jun 7th 2020, 6:12 PM

    View on Liffey hahahahaha full of rubbish and drugs

    5
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    Mute Gareth
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    Jun 8th 2020, 4:02 AM

    I think the Irish economy is more important than ‘views’ at this stage.

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    Mute jamesdennis
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    Jun 12th 2020, 8:52 PM

    A metro is needed before we can support high density housing.

    Given the current COVID situation a pastoralist ideal is probably more suitable, will be the knee jerk reaction.

    Riddle me this then? The mega-cities of South East Asia are able to keep the pandemic at bay through effective health policy.

    Dublin needs a metro if there is any plan to make it high rise.

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