4.2 St John's Road sites: OPW / Eircom

105

4.2 St John’s Road sites: OPW / Eircom

site area west (sq.m): 38 830site area east (sq.m): 28 100site area total (sq.m): 66 930gross development capacity (sq.m):west: residential 32 935 (38%)

commercial 53 705 (62%)total 86 640

east: residential 16 450 (34%)commercial 36 075 (66%)total 52 525

total gross development capacity (sq.m): 139 165plot ratio: 2.1:1site coverage: 37%present zoning: Z12proposed zoning: Z5 / Z6 / Z9

The 2 sites referred to in this document as the St Johns Road sites offer an excellent opportunity for comprehensive redevelopment due to their size, ownership and location. The sitesare owned by OPW and Eircom – please refer to sections 2.4.3 and 2.4.6 of part 1: Scope Context.The Eastern Region Health Authority occupies the car park by theCammock. It will be necessary to verify the existing arrangementregarding the use and ownership of the car park prior to any development.

heuston gateway: regeneration strategy and development framework plan

Heuston Gateway: stakeholders: St John’s Road sites

106

stakeholders urbanprojects

107

4.2.1 St John’s Road sites: proposal

For the purpose of this report the 2 sites are considered as onelarge 5.8 hectare site bounded by the Royal Hospital Kilmainham,St John’s Road, Dr Steevens’ Hospital and the Cammock River.The site is on a gentle incline on the south bank of the Liffey.Almost the entire site is underused and more or less derelict witha small number of protected structures in poor condition.The site presently has poor links and permeability in terms of connections to other parts of the city and movement through the site.

The potentialities of the site are summarized below:• Proximity to Heuston Station, Phoenix Park, city centre,

national institutions – particularly the Royal Hospital Kilmainham (IMMA)

• Location on a major tourist route from Heuston Station to Royal Hospital Kilmainham (IMMA) and Kilmainham Gaol

• Large site in joint ownership with relatively few restrictions from historic urban grain. The area is of archaeological interest and houses a number of protected structures and National Monuments

• Frontage onto the N4 and train tracks• Frontage onto a new avenue linking Heuston Station

with the Royal Hospital Kilmainham (IMMA) – IMMA Avenue (please refer to section 3.1.5)

• Frontage onto the public park to the front of Dr Steevens’Hospital

• Creation of a link from Royal Hospital Kilmainham to Phoenix Park

• To draw city centre uses west

It is proposed that Military Road is retained and the 2 sites oneither side used for high density, mixed use development. MilitaryRoad should be redesigned as a street with active uses, defined carriageways and paths, and landscaping.Building development to the west will be restricted by the line ofthe significant view of the Department of Defence Headquartersbuilding (Gandon) from the Royal Hospital Kilmainham. This new building line should create ‘Eircom Gardens’ – please refer to section 3.1.6.

The new building line onto St John’s Road should allow a high quality pedestrian and cyclist environment.The St John’s Road sites should be connected to the PhoenixPark via a new pedestrian and cycle bridge onto the West Terrace.The new ‘IMMA Avenue’ should connect the public space to thefront of Dr Steevens Hospital to the Royal Hospital Kilmainham – (please refer to section 3.1.5.)A series of residential towers should be developed in the land between the avenue and the Cammock River.The development should be high density and mixed use with a tall building onto Dr Steevens’ Hospital Park.The new development should create car-free environments for living and working.Development within the curtilage of the existing NationalMonuments should be at a comparable scale with the monuments.New buildings should be considered to be pavilion-like buildingswith institutional and mixed uses located within a park.The park should provide a play area for children (please refer to section 3.1.7).


a.

b.

c. d. e. f.

a. apartments, Potsdamer Platz, Berlin [Renzo Piano]b. apartments, Clarion Quay, Dublin [Urban Projects]c. museum extension, Winterthur, Switzerland [Gigon + Guyer]d. Sony Centre, Potsdamer Platz, Berlin [Helmut Jahn]e. Cartier Foundation, Paris [Jean Nouvel]f. Faculty of Economics, Utrecht, Holland [Mecanoo]

108

stakeholders

4.2.2 Zoning

The OPW site to the east of Military Road is immediately adjacentto Heuston Station and therefore should be a high profile mixeduse development. The Eircom site should also be mixed use withan area of park created between the walls of the Royal HospitalKilmainham gardens and the line of the ‘significant view’ (pleaserefer to section 3.2.3.1).With the on-going public transport developments this site has thepotential to create a critical mass of development which shouldensure its success.The majority of the site is presently zoned Z12: ‘to ensure thatexisting environmental amenities are protected in any future use ofthese lands’. The area adjacent to the Cammock and Dr SteevensHospital is zoned Z15, ‘to provide for institutional and community uses’.Office use is only ‘open for consideration’ in Z12. Such uses shouldonly be acceptable within the zoning objective if the planning authority is satisfied that the nature and extent of the proposed office development would:• achieve the overall policy and objective• would not have undesirable effects on the permitted use• would otherwise be consistent with the proper planning

and development of the area.

It is proposed to designate the OPW site and Dr Steevens Hospitalas Z5, ‘to consolidate and facilitate the development of the centralarea, and to identify, reinforce, strengthen and protect its civicdesign character and dignity’.The Eircom site is proposed as Z6: ‘to provide for the creation andprotection of enterprise and facilitate opportunities for employmentcreation’.The area defined as Eircom Gardens should be zoned Z9, ‘to preserve, provide and improve recreational amenity and openspace’.

urbanprojects

present zoning: St John’s Road sites

proposed zoning: St John’s Road sites

109

4.2.3 Conservation

The site is home to two National Monuments (pre-1700s). TheDevelopment Framework Plan recommends the retention of thesestructures. The future of the buildings is to be the subject of a separate report.Other protected structures in and around the site should also be retained.The curtilage of the National Monuments should be defined anddeveloped as ‘OPW Park’ – please refer to section 3.1.7.


National Monuments, OPW site

details: works to historic buildings in Portugal [Souto de Moura]

110


4.2.4 Connections

The St John’s Road sites are an integral part of the following connections though the Heuston Gateway as described in section 3.2:

1. Pedestrian / cycle route: Phoenix Park to IMMAThe Phoenix Park and Royal Hospital Kilmainham Gardens have been separated since the construction ofthe Heuston Station in the mid 1800s and suffer from poor linkage to the city or public transport nodes.A new route is proposed linking the parks. The route should cross St John’s Road and follow the existing curve of Military road. The height difference should be accommodated within the Eircom/OPW development.The route should continue to the junction with the entrance to IMMA and Irwin Street/ Bowbridge. Please refer to section 3.2.1.1.

2. Pedestrian / cycle route: Dr Steevens’ Hospital Park to IMMAThe Royal Hospital Kilmainham (Irish Museum of Modern Art) is currently poorly linked to the public domain of the city. Locating and travelling to IMMA on foot is presently difficult and requires the pedestrian to negotiate a hostile environment. A predominately pedestrian route running parallel with the Cammock is proposed directly linking Dr. Steeven’s Hospital Park with the gates of IMMA. This will provide access to the museum and become an integral part of a wider tourist route from Collins barracks to IMMA, to Kilmainham Gaol and to the Memorial Gardens.Please refer tosection 3.1.5 ‘IMMA Avenue’.

Pedestrian / cycle route: Phoenix Park to IMMA

IMMA Avenue

111

4.3 CIE

Development Site area (sq.m): site 1 13 683site 2 13 077site 3 10 829total 37 941

Gross floor area (sq.m): residential 9 152 (10%)commercial 88 383 (90%)total 97 6535

plot ratio: 2.5:1site coverage: 24%Present zoning: Z6 / Z1 / Z9Proposed zoning: Z6 / Z1 / Z9 / Z5

The Regeneration Strategy and Development Framework Plan areboth dependent on development in the CIE lands for their realization. As the main transport hub and with its position in thecentre of the study area, the CIE lands are key to theregeneration and appropriate development of the area.CIE has extensive lands at the core of the study area: the HeustonStation Lands (sites 2 – 4) lie to the south of the river and theConyngham Road Bus Depot (site 1) to the north. The lands coverjust under 18 hectares. Please refer to Part 1 Scope and Contextreport sections 2.4.7.1 and 2.4.7.2 for full description of lands.


Heuston Gateway: stakeholders: St John’s Road sites

Heuston Gateway boundary

CIE lands boundary

sites 1-41

4

2

1

3

112


4.3.1 CIE: Conyngham Road Bus Depot (site 1):

This large site is currently accessed off Conyngham Road and isapproximately 5 metres above the level of the Heuston StationLands. The entrance is currently opposite the main city entrancegate to the Phoenix Park. The site is used by Dublin Bus as adepot for the central area.The site has elevated views to the south and extensive river frontage.

Potentialities of the site are summarized below:• To provide a link from the northside across the river to

the Heuston Station Lands• The site has an elevated position with south facing

views over to the Royal Hospital Kilmainham and north facing views into the Park across Conyngham Road.

• The site has close proximity to Heuston Station, Phoenix Park, the city centre and national institutions.

• There are excellent pedestrian and vehicular links to the city and parks.

The development of the West Terrace extending from ConynghamRoad across the river and tracks will allow controlled vehicularmovement and access in to the northern station lands through the Bus Depot site.The external public space on the Bus Depot site should includeprovision for a function such as bus stops or holdings. Pedestrianaccess should be provided from this space down to the riversidewalk on the north bank.The building to the east of the space should be 4 and 6 stories commercial or equivalent. The building on the west should be 5stories residential. West of this site is within the significant viewfrom the Royal Hospital Kilmainham to the Phoenix Park asdescribed in section 3.2.3.1.


113

development using steep topography:a. Waverley Station, Edinburgh, Scotlandb. Longmeadows apartments, Conyngham Road, Dublin [OMP]

a.

b.


114

4.3.2 Heuston Station Lands (sites 2 – 4):

The station building is of architectural distinction and importanceand has recently been renovated. However the facilities for passengers and the efficiency of the station are poor. The stationis isolated from the main city core by congested traffic routes andan hostile pedestrian and cycling environment.The layout of the platforms is restricted by the roof structure overthe tracks and the critical width between the existing building and the bend in the river.The lands to the west of the station are inefficiently used with alarge surface car park, access to the new platform 10, turningarea for buses, storage and freight tracks for Guinness and othersidings.The valeting shed, new ESB sub station, new signalling buildingand new postal distribution building are located around the site. Anumber of other buildings housing records and staff facilities are positioned on the river or the wall to St John’s Road.The capacity of the station has been recently increased with theaddition of 3 new platforms, secondary concourse, installation of adigital signalling system and new bus stops.The site has an extensive river frontage from Sean Heuston Bridgeto the railway bridge at the boundary with Clancy Barracks.

The land is more or less flat and at a lower level than the northbank, Royal Hospital site and crossroads at South Circular Road.It is generally at a higher level than the Clancy Barracks site.The potentialities of the site are summarized below:• To transform the entire area and redefine the image of

the Heuston Gateway.• Potential to define the gateway or interface between

the Park and city, and therefore the limits of dense urban development in the city centre

• Extend city centre uses to the west.• Proximity to Memorial Gardens, Clancy Barracks,

Kilmainham Gaol and Royal Hospital, Eircom / OPW site at Military Road, Guinness lands, city centre, Collins Barracks and the Phoenix Park.

• Creation of a high quality efficient public transport facility• Development of large areas of land not absolutely

required by station uses, or development of over ground level secondary station uses.

• An increase in permeability across the site - the site currently blocks off adjacent areas.

• Extensive frontage and ‘green’ environment along river.• Creation of a mixed use development forming a high

density focal hub at a major transport node.• The area can accommodate a carefully located high

building.

a.

station forecourt / tall landmark buildinga. Canary Wharf Station, London [Sir Norman Foster & Associates]

car park looking east, summer 2002, Heuston Station

115

It is proposed that the station be redeveloped to allow greatercapacity and efficiency and provide a new elevation onto the WestTerrace. From this elevation the central concourse to the east canbe accessed and therefore also Heuston Square and Luas.The concourse should be seen as a major internal public spacewith a mix of temporary and permanent uses and should open upto the river. The stone and brick station building should be pre-served intact.The internal cast iron canopy structure is not considered as beingof high amenity or architectural value.The external urban spaces around the station should be reorganised:• The Heuston Square should provide a major civic

space to the front with an efficient Luas stop. Please refer to section 3.1.1.

• The urban space to the south façade – the original entrance – should be reconfigured to allow Dublin Buses on routes using St Johns Road to drop-off and pick-up and create a safe pedestrian environment.

• The West Terrace should be developed over the tracksand river primarily providing a west façade to the station onto a section of the pedestrian and cycle link from the Royal Hospital Kilmainham to the Phoenix Park. This link creates north-south permeability. The West Terrace will allow vehicular access from Conyngham Road into the Heuston Station lands behind the station, pick-up and drop-off to station, and eastbound access from St Johns Road. The terrace should be for the use of private cars, buses, taxis, cyclists and pedestrians. Please refer to section 3.1.2.

• The River Terrace on the north side of the station concourse should be free of vehicular traffic and provide a high quality pedestrian / cycle space linking onto the south bank river walkway. Please refer to section 3.1.3.

In site 2 to the west of the station it is considered that a tall building with suggested use as a hotel or residential could bedeveloped. Please refer to section 3.3.1.


site 3: landmark buildings / commercial usesa. Nagaoka Auditorium, Niigata, Japan [Toyo Ito]b. Research Centre, Wageningen, Holland [Behnisch, Behnisch + Partner]station redevelopment precedents:c. Broadgate, Liverpool Street, Londond. Santa Justa Station, Seville, Spain [Cruz + Ortiz]e. Attocha Station, Madrid, Spain [Rafael Moneo]

a. b.

c. d. e.

116


To the northwest of the West Terrace a landmark building of heightequivalent to 4 storeys commercial, above 2 levels of car parkcould be developed. This building is within the protected viewbetween IMMA and the Department of Defence (Gandon building)– please refer to section 3.2.3.1. This building has prominentfrontage onto the West Terrace.Car parking and service areas should be developed onto thenorthern section of the site at ground level. This area should be accessed via a ramp from the West Terrace.

A link with Clancy Barracks from site 4 may be possible in thefuture. A permanent station on the Phoenix Park line at platform 10would be desirable.

housing relating to landscape:a. terraced housing, Borneo Sporenburg, Amsterdam [Mateo]b. home and workplace building, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany [Common + Gries]c. apartment building, Basel, Switzerland [Herzog and de Meuron]d. housing block, Dornbirn, Austria [Hermann Kaufmann]

a. b. c. d.

4.2 St John's Road sites: OPW / Eircom

Documents