Planning precedent report

Happy Hand Ltd intend to apply for continued planning permission for 3 years for a temporary café/retail unit on a section of derelict land located at 161-163 Thomas Street, Dublin 8. The development consists of two converted shipping containers, single storey in height. The development is situated on unused land in The Digital Hub complex. We have operated on this site for over 8 years already.

Planning permission for the continued use of the current structure as a cafe/retail unit as granted under Registration Ref. No. 4085/16, 3 year temporary permission at 161 Thomas Street, Dublin 8. The development consists of two converted shipping containers, single storey in height.

PROTECTED STRUCTURE: The proposed development comprises a ten-year planning permission to provide a building for the Guinness archives on a 638 sqm site. The subject site is bound by Thomas Street to the north, the Crane Building to the east, and existing Brewery works to the west and south. The development includes works and developments to Arthur's House which is Protected Structure No. 8145; the demolition of its rear modern section; the demolition of the part of the Crane Building to its rear; and the construction of a new Archive Building contiguous with and linked to Arthur's House. The development includes: • Opening up existing blind windows and replacing other existing windows in a historically appropriate style; • The installation of an external steel escape stair from the basement front elevation and the insertion of a new gate in the railing to match the existing railing; • Internal re-ordering to include replacement with historically appropriate flooring, fireplaces and cornices; • The demolition of the 1964 internal dividing walls within Arthur's House; • The demolition of 506 sq. m. of buildings, including the rear 1964 section of Arthur's House and the part of the Crane Building to which this is attached; • The demolition of the rear modern exterior ramps, steps, railings and security building; • The construction of a 624 sqm archive building to the rear of Arthur's House; • New exterior works to include ramps and steps; and • All associated works above and below ground. Arthur's House is and will remain 17.26m in height over four storeys and comprises: basement, ground, first and second floors with the third floor in the loft space. The section of the Crane Building to the rear of Arthur's House proposed for demolition is 21.72m in height and comprises ground and four further floors and roof top plant. The height of the proposed four storey new building is 20.85m. The proposed development is located within a site which is the subject of an approved Industrial Emissions (IE) Licence (Ref. No. P0301-04).

PROTECTED STRUCTURE: Change of use of St. Patrick's Tower from a vacant building to exhibition space and associated works. St. Patrick's Tower is located at the Digital Hub, Thomas Street, Dublin 8. Proposed works include necessary repairs and adaptation of the tower for public use including: 1. Proposed external works: gently sloping access ramps, pedestrian crossings, cobblestone area with benches to the front entrance area, removal of bars from existing ground floor window, replacement of damaged rear window with new louvred vent, new entrance doors, new illuminated signage. 2. Proposed internal works to ground and first floor only, necessary minor repairs to brickwork and repairs to internal roof of entrance lobby area, new floor finish throughout ground floor, new lightweight ceiling finish mounted to underside of existing concrete slab, surface mounted lighting and wiring, mechanical ventilation system with 4 new opes to concrete slab and localized plant on first floor slab, removal of non-historic existing timber stairs, with new fold-down access stairs provided in its place. New firestopping provided to inner side of historic brick partition wall.

PROTECTED STRUCTURE (RPS: 8149): permission for development at 10-13 Thomas Street, Dublin 8, D08 PX8H, a protected structure (ref: 8149) in use as office space, to comprise the following: removal of non-original internal glazed screen and door at first floor level and replacement with a plasterboard-lined stud-wall with fire-rated flush door-set; removal of a section of original non-load bearing internal stud walling at second-floor level and the addition of a new plasterboard-lined stud-wall to create a new protected escape route; and the conversion of an existing timber sliding-sash window to a casement window.

The proposed development comprises site clearance works, including the demolition of all existing buildings /structures on site, including the existing boundary wall and gates along the Thomas Street frontage, and the construction of a new Part 3-; Part 4-; Part 6- and Part 7- storey Aparthotel building over basement level with a total Gross Floor Area (GIA) of 6,790 sq.m together with the formation of a new vehicular access ramp (with integrated bicycle lane) off Thomas Street leading to basement level. The basement level will accommodate 16 no. cycle parking spaces; staff changing-rooms/showers; a service yard and ancillary plant and storage rooms; waste/refuse storage; ancillary gym for hotel guests and ancillary kitchen. Ground floor level will accommodate a reception area (222.9 sq.m) and café (156.6 sq.m) accessed off Thomas Street, and an ESB sub-station and switchroom. Aparthotel rooms / suites are provided at first to fifth floor level (93 no. self-contained/self-catering units). At sixth floor level, a public bar / event space (257.5 sq.m) with south facing roof terrace is provided. Other site works include the provision of hard and soft landscaping measures to ancillary amenity spaces. The proposed building incorporates sustainable drainage measures that includes green roofs and underground attenuation tank. Screened plant is provided at rooftop level.