Google’s plan for a pub at its Bolands Mill campus beside Barrow Street could create safety risks for local children and lead to significant noise disruption at closing time, a group of residents have said in an objection to the scheme lodged with Dublin City Council.
Last month Google Ireland Ltd lodged plans with the council to change a permitted use of “retail, cafe, restaurant, marketplace” to that of “public house” for the ground floor and lower ground floor of Unit 3 Building B at Google’s Bolands Mill campus on Ringsend Road, Dublin 4.
Planning consultant for Google Ireland, John Spain hasargued that the public house use would “assist in enhancing the vitality and attractiveness of the overall scheme as a destination for visitors as well as local residents”.
However, in an objection on behalf of seven households on Barrow Street, architect Patrick Lynch cited“the increased safety risk to young children living adjacent to the proposed development from potential drunk and disorderly behaviour, disabling them to come and go safely from their own homes, to schools, a local playground or friends’ houses is concerning to residents”.
Mr Lynch also told the council that “the residents are very concerned that the proposed application will result in a substantial loss of their well established residential amenity”. He said residents were “concerned for their safety and from noise/disruption at closing time”.
Mr Lynch has argued that “there are already numerous established public houses in proximity to Barrow Street. If the proposed public house is permitted, it would attract additional large numbers of late-night visitors, especially when events are taking place at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre; Aviva Stadium and the 3Arena”.
On behalf of the residents, Mr Lynch noted that there are no public toilets between the proposed pub and Grand Canal Dock Dart Station.
“Residents already suffer from members of the public urinating on Barrow Street outside of their homes late at night,” he said.“Residents are concerned that this behaviour will intensify if the proposed ‘public house’ is permitted.”
The application lodged last month came nine months after Google officially opened the first phase of its Bolands Mills development.
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