Contracts seal the deal on Dún Laoghaire Baths site

DEVELOPMENT of the new Dún Laoghaire Baths will commence in the coming weeks, after contracts were finally signed last week.

As reported in the most recent edition of Southside People, the long-running Baths sags is due to come an end after years of wrangling.

Last week, the contracts were signed between Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and the joint venture of SIAC and Mantovani Group.

The project is set to transform the seafront landscape and reinvent the area as a destination for sea swimmers and sea sports enthusiasts from far and wide.

The new Dún Laoghaire Baths, which has been designed by the council’s Architects' Department, will see a new public café linked to an outdoor terrace with views over the Bay, along with studio workspaces for artists and new life guard facilities.

New public toilet facilities at street level will be fully accessible for the mobility impaired and a new jetty and changing areas will provide access to the water's edge for swimmers and landing points for canoes, kayaks and other water sports equipment.

The Baths were first constructed in 184 and were completely redeveloped by the then Kingstown Town Council in 1910 and operated until 1997 when they were closed.

In March 2010, a report was brought before Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council setting out the rationale for the redevelopment of the site.

Councillors agreed the future parameters of development on the site, which included securing the baths pavilion, removing dilapidated structures, enhancing the connection between Newtownsmith and the East Pier and ensuring access to the water’s edge.

The council made a formal application for a Foreshore Licence to the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government in December 2012.

Approval in principle was granted by the department and council approval given in March 2015 following a successful public consultation process.

In the summer of 2017, the council erected several information boards on the facade of the prominent Baths building to inform the public of the approved plans for the site.

However, the project was delayed when exploratory engineering works found that part of the site formed a retaining wall for Queens Road.

This resulted in a significant increase in the estimated cost of the project.

In March of this year, the council agreed to fund the renovation as part of an overall €10.3 investment.

The development will take approximately 22 months to complete and will open to the public in the spring of 2020.

It is envisaged that the new Dún Laoghaire Baths will be a long-term, public amenity for the area and county.

It will provide not only a connection between Newtownsmith and the People's Park, but will also link the town of Dún Laoghaire with its seafront.

Cathaoirleach Cllr Tom Murphy said: "This is a very exciting time for the county. 

“The Dún Laoghaire Baths is a renowned landmark  and the development of the site represents a significant long-term investment in this public facility for residents and visitors to our county.

“We are investing heavily in the development of the Dún Laoghaire Baths as part of a whole scheme of works for the county under the three year Capital Programme,” Cllr Murphy concluded.