Preserve our Built Heritage

Professor Kevin B Nowlan who died on Feb. 4th. 2013 was one of Ireland's leading advocates for heritage protection and served as An Taisce president from 1983 to 1987. He will be remembered for his authoritative presence and great speaking voice at lectures, public meeting and planning hearings over the last half century. His greatest cause was the preservation of Georgian Dublin against dereliction, road widening and inappropriate development.

Thank you for referring the above application to An Taisce for comment. In deference to the high quality of historic architecture in the Fitzwilliam Square area and the contribution made by the 'contained open space' in the centre of the square to the setting of the historic architecture, An Taisce submits that great care must be taken to avoid any works which would negatively impact on this Victorian unified lay-out.

“An Taisce The National Trust for Ireland is calling on the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government to immediately appoint an Independent Planning Regulator as per the Mahon Tribunal and for that Regulator to immediately investigate the planning function and competence of Dublin City Council, following the An Bord Pleanála refusal of the Liberty Hall redevelopment.”

Charles Stanley-Smith, Communications’ Officer and former Chair of An Taisce stated today. He added

An Taisce has published an illustrated ‘buildings at risk’ list for Dublin so as to document the large numbers of vacant or derelict historic buildings in the city, from landmarks such as the Iveagh Markets to the former Hume Street Hospital. The City Council urgently needs to take steps to protect these sites.

The property collapse has left a legacy of dereliction and abandonment in Dublin, where buildings and sites assembled for development are now left empty.

An Taisce welcomes the decision of Dublin City Council to refuse exemption for removal of Bewley’s signage at its former premises on Westmoreland Street, Dublin 2.

The decision allows only for removal of one stained-glass panel incorporating the Bewley’s name, located above the entrance doors. This panel is however non-original and not of historic or artistic value.

The loss by fire of 34 Camden Street in Dublin has massively damaged a site that was the birthplace of both the Abbey Theatre and the Fianna - a terraced early Georgian house with all the criteria befitting a National Monument.

The destruction of such a historic and culturally significant place resents a serious threat to Dublin's continued status as a UNESCO City of Literature - a status shared by only 3 other cities, and monitored continually. Heritage tourism is of increasingly essential importance to Ireland's economy.

The publication of the Mahon report has seen renewed calls for investigations into the planning matters of local authorities by An Taisce and others. In 2009 An Taisce called for the investigation of Dublin City Council’s planning record and subsequently it became one of seven local authorities under investigation by former minister for the environment John Gormley, this initiative being later reduced to an in-house investigated by his successor, Phil Hogan, which is a matter of some current political concern.

An Taisce The National Trust for Ireland has today stated that “The refusal of the Slane N2 bypass by An Bord Pleanála is an eminently logical decision and has protected a very important piece of Irish National Heritage”

Press Release 23rd February 2012

“The decision on the Children’s Hospital by An Bord Pleanála will protect Dublin’s Future - An Taisce”

An Bord Pleanála has made one of the most significant planning decisions in its history in refusing the application by the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board for the 16 storey National Children's Hospital adjoining the Mater Hospital in Eccles St.

Proposed changes to retail guidelines will cost jobs and cause more dereliction

Minister Hogan needs to reject the proposed changes to increase the size of large stores.

Research shows that 1.4 jobs are lost in town centres for every new job created in out-of-town ‘megastores’. Because of their failure to engage with local suppliers and re-circulate money back into local economies, each new out-of-town ‘megastore’ results in a net jobs loss of 270 full-time positions, according to US research (see submission for details).