Goodman firm withdraws appeal over demolition of historic buildings

An Bord Pleanála confirmed that Ternary Ltd has withdrawn its appeal against Dublin City Council.

The council had refused plans to demolish 47, 48 & 49 Kildare Street and No 1 Nassau Street to make way for new offices.

Ternary lodged its appeal last February but withdrew it just days before the case was due to be decided on Wednesday. The plan provoked strong opposition from An Taisce, the Kilkenny Group and others.

The Department of Culture and Heritage told the council that the proposal "represents a significant and adverse loss of built heritage and a detrimental change in this quarter which the Department cannot support".

A spokesman for Ternary wouldn't be drawn as to why the company has withdrawn the appeal or if it is planning to lodge revised site plans.

Kevin Duff lodged an objection on behalf of the Dublin City Association of An Taisce.

"The application to demolish a group of functioning redbrick Georgian buildings in a Conservation Area on Kildare Street was unprecedented by any standards," said Mr Duff on the appeal's withdrawal.

He said An Taisce would call for the "sensitive repair and upgrading of these valuable heritage buildings for use".

Last January, the council planners ruled that the proposal "would give rise to the loss of the original historic fabric and urban grain and have a seriously adverse impact on the remaining historic streetscape of Kildare Street and Nassau Street".

They said it "would seriously injure the settings of the adjoining protected structures and, as a consequence, set an unwanted precedent for similar type development".

In documentation lodged with the application, Henry J Lyons - architects for the scheme - told the council that the plan seeks to sensitively introduce a contemporary commercial building into the historic streetscape of Kildare St while protecting the fabric of the protected structure at No 2 Nassau Street.

They said design proposals sought to make a positive contribution to the Kildare and Nassau streetscapes.