An Coimiúsin Pleanála (ACP) has approved plans by the Irish arm of US property giant Kennedy Wilson for a nine storey “world class mixed-use office led campus” at St Stephen’s Green in Dublin with capacity for more than 3,000 office workers.
ACP found KW Investment Funds ICAV’s revisions to its office scheme that was first granted planning permission at Stokes Place three and a half years ago in January 2023 “would not seriously injure the visual amenities of the area and would not detract from the architectural heritage of the area”.
The existing offices at Stokes Place currently house the Irish HQ of KPMG. That firm is preparing to move to its new Irish HQ at the nearby Harcourt Square in October.
The appeal came before ACP earlier this year following a surprise appeal by An Taisce.
RM Block
An Taisce did not object when the scheme was before the council last year as it didn’t refer the application to An Taisce, which is recognised as a prescribed body under planning legislation where it must be notified by councils of certain planning applications.
In the appeal, Kevin Duff of An Taisce’s Planning Unit and An Taisce’s Heritage Officer, Ian Lumley said they were appealing the appeal “on the grounds of location sensitivity” as the application warranted referral by the Council to An Taisce under planning regulations and no such referral was issued.
At the time of the original grant of permission in January 2023, ACP granted planning permission to KW Investment Funds ICAV to demolish the existing office complex at Stokes Place facing onto St Stephen’s Green and Harcourt Street, and the construction of an eight storey office block.
In the new scheme ACP has granted planning permission for the applicants to add a ninth floor to the scheme.
The new approved plan also includes a residential component through the refurbishment of nine apartments in the existing Russell Court apartment building.
Architects for the proposal, Allford Hall Monaghan Morris stated that “as a landmark piece of architecture, the building is now ever more confident and singular, responding to our further understanding of the history of the locality”.
Planning consultant for KW, Stephen Little told the city council that “the ambition is to develop a world-class, mixed-use campus with a strong focus on office space, supported by outstanding architecture and carefully considered placemaking”.
