Plans to pedestrianise Dublin’s College Green have been rejected.
An Bórd Pleanála has published a lengthy report detailing its decision to refuse planning permission for the proposed civic plaza at College Green in Dublin’s city centre.
The negative effects that such a development would have on bus transport were key to the planning authority’s decision not to grant permission for the transformation of the area outside Trinity College.
The conclusion of the report also argued that Dublin’s footpaths might not even be capable of handling an increase in footfall.
The following are key excerpts from Wednesday’s decision:
“In conclusion, the principle of the development is acceptable, and will produce a quality public realm which will significantly enhance the amenity and attractiveness of this city centre location. The traffic dominated environment will be replaced with a clutter free space with significantly improved facilities for pedestrians and cyclists. It will significantly improve the visual amenities of the area and facilitate improved appreciation of the architectural and cultural heritage of this important site.
“However, outside the site the proposed development will have impacts on surrounding streets associated with the redistribution of traffic, particularly buses. Significant shortcomings have been identified with the modelling exercise which undermines its reliability in terms of identifying the extent of traffic impacts arising, and while the model provides an indication of likely impacts, the magnitude of those impacts is considered to be significantly understated. This gives rise to uncertain, but likely significant negative impacts on bus transport, having regard to the scale of re-routing proposed and the critical importance of bus transport to the city.
“A significant number of additional buses will be re-routed onto the Quays and the capacity of the Quays to accommodate this increase has not been analysed or assessed. Furthermore, the redirection of buses will result in significant increases in passenger numbers on both sides of the Quays.
“It has not been demonstrated that existing footpaths have the capacity to accommodate increased pedestrians, and the effects of extending bus stops out along the Quays, to mitigate the effect has not been analysed or assessed.”
The full report can be accessed here.
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