Sir, - What is nine storeys, four storeys, eight storeys, two storeys? Answer: the developing streetscape along Parnell Street in Dublin. Why? Because Dublin Corporation does not have a coherent approach to applications for high buildings.
Dublin City currently faces (among others) the following controversial developments: a 24 storey tower on Georges Quay (70 per cent higher than Liberty Hall), the doubling of the height of the former Carlton Cinema (so it will have 15 cinemas on its roof) for the Corporation's "Millenium Mall" on O'Connell Street, nine storeys on Moore Street, nine storeys on Exchange Street in Temple Bar, and the equivalent of nine storeys for the IMAX cinema and a proposed hotel, both on Parnell Street.
It seems entirely arbitrary that tall buildings should be contemplated for these particular sites, but the Corporation is committed to nothing beyond "treating each case on its own merits". Its new draft development plan actually proposes to relax existing height standards. It states that "there are areas within the city where higher buildings may be considered to be appropriate". But, stupidly, it does not state which areas. An Taisce, which monitors planning applications, is aware that developers in the most unlikely places all over town are now arguing that high-rise on their particular landholdings would be appropriate.
An Taisce is in favour of some high rise buildings in Docklands, if they are architecturally excellent, and provide outstanding amenities at ground-level and significant community benefits. From An Taisce's perspective, high-rise development on redundant decontextualised "brownfield" sites, like Docklands, is preferable to greenfield development and to high-rise in the city's historic core. This is not to say that all of Docklands is suited to high-rise. Erecting 24 storeys on Georges Quay would put the Custom House in shadow. That would be a mistake.
In the current climate the media tend to describe every high-rise as "crystalline", "sculptural" or "exciting", as heralding Ireland's arrival in the millennial big-time. The reality - as we know from O'Connell Bridge House, Liberty Hall etc - is that there can be few urban aesthetics as unattractive as an unplanned, incoherent skyline. It is crucial that Dublin City's new development plan explain precisely where in the city high-rise is desirable (and why) - and prohibit it elsewhere. - Yours, etc, Michael Smith,
Chairman,
An Taisce Dublin City Association,
The Tailors' Hall,
Back Lane,
Dublin 8.