Gateway to the city

WHAT has been described as a “visionary development” of the city’s Sir John Rogerson’s Quay in Dublin 2 has been given the green light.

Planning permission has been granted for one of the largest undeveloped sites in Dublin, ‘Capital Dock’.

Extending over 4.8 acres, it will deliver over 660,000 square feet of new space on a prime waterfront location.

It will include 316,000 square feet of office space across three buildings and 204 high-quality residential units in three buildings, including a 23-storey tower marking ‘the gateway to the city’.

A joint venture arrangement between Kennedy Wilson and NAMA, it is expected that work will commence on site by December, with the first office buildings available from mid-2017.

The site is already substantially remediated and benefits from having the two-storey basement works in place, which significantly shortens the construction time.

The development, which benefits from water views on three sides, places a significant emphasis on public space with a new 1.5-acre landscaped public park and square, cultural space and a significant retail/leisure offering.

Designated as one of the city’s five key Dockland hubs, the scheme will be further advanced from significantly improved transport connections.

This follows completion of a planned pedestrian footbridge across the River Liffey (giving direct access to the Point Village and Luas), and a proposed vehicular access from Sir John Rogerson’s Quay towards Ringsend with links north through the Port Tunnel to the airport and to the south city. 

Site assembly was finalised at the end of 2014 when Kennedy Wilson and NAMA merged their adjacent sites at Sr John Rogerson’s Quay.

The scheme has been designed by the award-winning Irish architecture firm O’Mahony Pike and draws on the architecture of Dublin’s industrial and docklands heritage.

Peter Collins, Managing Director, Kennedy Wilson Europe said they welcomed Dublin City Council’s decision to grant planning permission that would allow for delivery of the office element of the scheme by mid-2017 with the residential element completing in early 2018.

“This development will have a transformative effect, not only on the skyline of the Dublin Docklands, but on the public social, cultural and business realm in this part of the city,” he said.

“It will be the standard-bearer for integrated office and residential development in this country. The scheme will offer larger floor plate office buildings but with a high degree of flexibility to large national and multi-national companies wishing to base their headquarters in South Docklands. Kennedy Wilson is currently on site at three significant developments in Dublin and looks forward to adding Capital Dock to its expanding portfolio in Ireland.”

Brendan McDonagh, CEO NAMA, added: “This is another major and significant step in NAMA’s programme of investment to make the Dublin Docklands a better place to invest, create jobs or find a home.

“Our investment with Kennedy Wilson on Capital Docks is progressing well with this planning being granted as a significant milestone and we look forward to a high quality development of offices, homes, retail units and public spaces that will bring major benefits to the area and to the wider economy, in addition to a commercial return on our investment for the taxpayer.”