TALL BUILDINGS, at least as high as Liberty Hall, should be permitted at certain key locations in the docklands, according to the report.
But it says all new development in the area should achieve quality design standards to qualify for tax incentives.
The report points out that there are already several tall structures in the area and notes that permission was granted recently for a 16 storey residential block in the Grand Canal Docks. This should become a "benchmark" for other buildings, which could be 10 per cent higher.
It argues that "considerable interest" would be added to Dublin's predominantly horizontal scale, which the authors concede is a major factor contributing to its character, by "the punctuation of the skyline over the city by numerous structures and buildings".
The draft master plan drawn up by the Riverrun consultancy group sets out a framework for the promotion of "an architecture of world standard, which will be respectful of place while integrating and conserving the best of the area's architectural and industrial heritage".
Mr Sean O'Laoire, who heads the Riverrun group, said yesterday that the linkage of quality with tax incentives and planning permission for development would be a "first" for urban renewal in Ireland, although he was unsure if this would appeal to the construction industry.
Mixed uses, rather than merely offices, are a key element in the development strategy proposed by the report, which envisages the construction of at least 6,000 residential units as well as up to 400,000 sq ft of office space to augment the Financial Services Centre.
At least three hotels are proposed, two in the Grand Canal Docks area and a third in the designated "district centre" on East Wall Road, as well as "attractive restaurants, cafes, public houses and shops, particularly in the waterfront areas".
Riverrun's report also places great emphasis on improving public transport in the poorly served docklands area.
This would include a new dock lands area bus service, known as DABS, in two orbital routes on the north and south sides of the Liffey.
The DABS buses would be powered by "advanced, environmentally friendly fuels", as well as being modern, accessible and comfortable. They would have a distinctive "docklands" livery and provide a high frequency service, with integrated and flexible ticketing.
It also envisages that the proposed Luas light rail system would be extended into the docklands area, again serving both sides of the river, and that there would be a network of cycleways and "safe pedestrian routes" in association with a new network of green spaces.
On roads, the report proposes a new bridge between Guild Street on the north side and Macken Street on the south.
In addition, it favours doubling the capacity of the East Link bridge and creating a new road to link it more directly with Beach Road in Sandymount.
It says the proposed Macken Street bridge would result in "significant reductions" in traffic flows on both Talbot Memorial and Butt Bridges. Getting rid of the ugly Loop Line bridge, which obscures the Custom House, is also a longterm objective.
Mr O'Laoire said this would not necessarily involve making a reservation for a new railway crossing further east. More likely, it would mean putting DART and mainline rail services underground between Pearse and Connolly Stations.
However, the report also suggests that Connolly Station might become redundant in the longer term.
It proposes a new rail terminus at Abercorn Road and Upper Sheriff Street, which could serve both Arrow commuter trains and a new rail link to Dublin Airport.
