Moore Street Trust submits appeals to An Bord Pleanála against Hammerson development

(Above: A CGI of part of the Dublin Central Plan)

The Moore Street Preservation Trust says it has submitted ‘comprehensive appeals’ to An Bord Pleanála against Dublin City Council’s grant of planning permission to British-based property company Hammerson’s developments on the Moore Street 1916 battlefield site.

In its submissions, the Trust argues that by granting permission to Hammerson Dublin City Council ‘did not have proper regard for the importance of the site and did not follow proper planning procedures’ and the grant of permission should be overturned.

James Connolly Heron, chairperson of the Trust and great-grandson of 1916 leader James Connolly, said:

“We have submitted detailed and comprehensive appeals against the decision of Dublin City Council to grant permission for a development that would destroy much of the Moore Street 1916 battlefield site.

“The grant of permission is wrong on many levels.

“It fails to properly protect the National Monument 14-17 Moore Street and it ignores the vote of the elected members of Dublin City Council to add the entire terrace 10-25 Moore Street to the Record of Protected Structures. Permission has been granted by planners without full consideration of ongoing survey reports on 1916 buildings and structures.

“Council planners gave permission to Hammerson to break the historic terrace occupied by the evacuated GPO garrison in 1916, and to drive a walkway to the Ilac Centre right through it.

“It is to be topped by an arch, the design of which the Council did not approve but still granted permission.

“The right of citizens to participate in the planning process was not vindicated.

“At the height of Covid lockdowns planning documents were not available on the Council website in due time, meaning citizens could not avail of the statutory period to make their submissions.

“Planning notices were flawed and Hammerson was asked to provide a scale model which was not notified to the public who were unaware of its existence as it sat in Civic Offices, Wood Quay.

“For such a huge development on such a sensitive site to be handled in this way is a travesty of planning.

“For the grant of planning permission to be upheld would be an act of vandalism against our history and heritage.”