THE NEW Liberty Hall development would not negatively impact on the character of Dublin’s historic Custom House, an architect for trade union Siptu told the first day of An Bord Pleanála’s oral hearing yesterday.
The impact of the proposed 22-storey building on architectural heritage was one of the main themes of yesterday’s hearing.
The hearing follows the lodgment of an appeal by objectors to the approval by Dublin City Council of Siptu’s plans to demolish the existing 16-storey Liberty Hall on Eden Quay.
The new building includes office space, a conference auditorium and a rooftop heritage area.
The “visual wall” created by the combination of Butt Bridge and the Loopline railway bridge “far outweighed any visual impact” of Liberty Hall on the Custom House, architect for Siptu David Slattery told the hearing.
Views of the Custom House were “sufficiently robust” so as not to be dominated by the Liberty Hall proposal any more than by the existing building, architect for Siptu Richard Coleman said.
Peter Sweetman, representing one of the objectors, Ian Lumley, asked why was there a need in the development plan for a bigger building on the site.
The new building would block light into the atrium of the Irish Life Assurance building at Beresford Court, said John Sheehan, a planner speaking on behalf of the company. The oral hearing continues today.
