Public asked to submit views on College Green plaza

New civic plaza in city centre not expected to be in place before end of 2018 at earliest. Dublin City Council is calling on members of the public to get in touch with their views on the re-development of College Green into a new civic plaza. The council has opened an online survey to hear the views of the public ahead of submitting plans to An Bord Pleanála for approval. While the proposed €8 million pedestrian and cycle plaza for College Green is not expected to be in place before the end of 2018, the council is about to appoint a design team to develop proposals for the new civic space and is looking for ideas from the wider public.

Irish Times

Scheme to draw first-time buyers to towns and villages

First-time buyers and young families are to get a grant to renovate vacant properties as part of a scheme to revitalise rural towns and villages. Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural, and Gaeltacht Affairs Heather Humphreys wants people to return to live in rural centres and will be introducing the scheme on a pilot basis. Promoting education, job creation and improving infrastructure and transport links throughout the country will also be included in Ms Humphreys’ action plan for rural development, due to be published early in the new year.

Irish Examiner

Cork incinerator decision postponed for a third time

A decision on the fate of a controversial incinerator proposed for the lower Cork Harbour area has been postponed for the third time. An Bord Pleanála was due to reach a decision on the €160 million Indaver project by January 24, having missed two previous due-dates on July 12 and again on October 26 last. However when contacted by the Irish Examiner, a spokesperson for the planning board said: “A decision is not imminent.”

Irish Examiner

Green light for plan to build Dublin’s tallest office block

Plans for Dublin’s tallest office block, a 73m-tall (240ft) building at the Point Village at the northside entrance to the city’s docklands, have been granted permission by Dublin City Council. 

The building, called the Exo in reference to its “exoskeleton” external supporting structure, will be built on the site of what was to be Ireland’s tallest building, Harry Crosbie’s “Watchtower”, which at 120m would have been the same height as the Spire in O’Connell Street. 

Read the full story in the Irish Times here.

New children's hospital could cost €60m more than estimated

The cost of the new children's hospital could be up to €60m higher, than previous estimates.
The Irish Times reports that a confidential assessment shows that the bill for building the new hospital could be significantly higher, because of inflation in the construction sector.
It is estimated to run at 7.5%, rather than the 3% previously projected.
The new National Children's Hospital will be built on the campus of St James' Hospital in Dublin.
The total cost of the hospital is estimated to be around €700m.

Read the Breaking News article here.

Cost of children’s hospital could be €60m above estimate

The Irish Times has reported that the Government has been warned the cost of building the new national children’s hospital could be up to €60 million higher than originally envisaged.

Remainder of the article here.

Decision on children’s hospital delayed up to three months

A decision on planning permission for the new National Children’s Hospital has been delayed by up to three months.

An Bord Pleanála was due to make a decision on the €650 million project by next week, but now says a decision will be announced before May 12th.

The board says the delay is due to the “complexity of issues in the case”, according to a letter being sent to interested parties this week.

Two weeks of oral hearings were held last November and December into the project, which is planned for a site at St James’s Hospital in Dublin.

The hearings heard opposition to the building of the project at St James’s from a variety of groups, including local residents, children’s charities and retired medical personnel.

Read the full article @ The Irish Times