15.1.1.21 SDRA 18 National Concert Hall Quarter

The National Concert Hall quarter (NCHQ) is uniquely positioned to develop as a distinct but connected cultural, commercial and residential urban quarter, with its own character, identity and architecture, and by adopting an urban scale and grain that can deliver the quality and scale of commercial space required by a contemporary city.

The objectives of the NCHQ SDRA can provide for a number of significant benefits, including accessibility and linkages with the Iveagh Gardens, in order to establish the area as a key cultural destination attraction in the city centre. Significant public realm and streetscape improvements, and funding for same, can be delivered in an integrated manner through the SDRA designation. The SDRA can also deliver a critical mass of employment generating land uses.

The overall objectives for this area are as follows: ­

  • Consolidate and further enhance the cultural significance of the area, including facilitating significant improvements to the National Concert Hall, the development of the exploration station by the Irish Children’s Museum and increased accessibility and linkages with the Iveagh Gardens, in order to establish the area as a key cultural attraction in the city centre. ­
  • To create a character area which can successfully transition between the South Georgian core to the east and the emerging mixed use area to the west. ­
  • To create a critical mass of employment generating land uses to utilise the investment in public transport in the area and to facilitate the delivery of additional planned public transport services.     
  • To promote the development of vacant and under-utilised sites in the character area for high quality commercial development and other uses. ­
  • To facilitate and deliver improved pedestrian linkages between the areas key open spaces and streets, creating a highly permeable and connected urban quarter that ensures vibrancy. ­
  • To create significant improvements to the public realm throughout the character area through economic development and investment, creating lively streets and passive surveillance, contributing to a vibrant and attractive urban area. Development in the National Concert Hall quarter should create pedestrian linkages through the Iveagh Gardens to the National Concert Hall, and the development of a high quality public space on Hatch Street Upper to signal a new public entrance to Iveagh Gardens from Hatch Street. ­
  • To promote the development of a common signage and branding strategy for the area. ­
  • To promote the development of buildings of up to 9-storeys commercial to ensure critical mass is achieved to support public transport services and ensure the most efficient use of scarce urban land, subject to preparing visual impact assessments and photomontages to verify the appropriateness of any proposed development in its city-wide and local context. ­
  • To ensure that the architectural composition and design of buildings and clusters of buildings contribute to the sense of place and identity and character of the area. Any proposals for development must have regard to the existing views and vistas from the South Georgian core, while also contributing to the establishment of a distinct form, character and appearance of the National Concert Hall quarter.
15.1.1.21_Fig.38