Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council will amend its county development plan to facilitate the creation of "a sustainable and viable attraction" to regenerate the redundant Carlisle Pier.
The council's draft Coastal Plan for the maritime zone stretching from Booterstown Marsh to the Forty Foot in Sandycove specifies that the redevelopment of the pier should result in "an exceptional landmark building of international architectural quality".
Under the proposed new objective in the county plan, such a scheme would have to include "a major public cultural attraction of national importance" which would be publicly accessible "with walkways, viewing areas and public spaces throughout".
In an apparent endorsement of plans unveiled last August for an Irish Diaspora museum, designed by international architect Mr Daniel Libeskind, it says the building and its use should "become a symbol of both the nation and Dún Laoghaire".
This phraseology is similar to the "icon for Ireland" imagery projected by Mr Libeskind in the plans he drew up for the Devey Group, which also envisage a 250-bedroom hotel at the "prow" of the new building as well as restaurants, bars, shops and apartments.
In its local Coastal Plan, the county council says such uses could be permitted to underpin the economic sustainability of any scheme for the Carlisle Pier that meets its "rigorous requirements". It also notes that tax incentives are available until December 2003.
The pier, which served for decades as the arrival and departure point of the Holyhead mailboat, has been redundant since the HSS service started seven years ago, and the Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company has been seeking proposals for its development.
Both the county manager, Mr Derek Brady, and the council's director of planning, Mr Michael Gough, favour the plan formulated by Mr Libeskind's studio in Berlin because they believe it would have an impact comparable to the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao.
The Coastal Plan notes that the Carlisle Pier occupies a significant location at the heart of Dún Laoghaire Harbour, which is "ingrained in the memories of thousands of Irish people as the point of arrival and departure" of the Holyhead mailboat.
In this context, any redevelopment of the pier should include the National Maritime Museum, providing it with an "appropriate land and sea-based facility, which cannot be fulfilled by the museum's current accommodation in the Mariners Church".
Though its redundant state is said to be detracting from the harbour's visual amenities, the draft plan sees its redevelopment as an opportunity to integrate the harbour more closely with the town centre of Dún Laoghaire, ending their current isolation.
This reintegration is to be further aided by the creation of a public plaza, which will bridge the railway line in front of the new Pavilion Theatre. High quality paving, street furniture and contemporary lighting are envisaged for the new plaza.
Marine Road, between the town centre and the harbour, is to be turned into "a boulevard sweeping down to the civic space adjoining the ferry terminal".
A glazed "bookend" building is proposed for the George's Street frontage of St Michael's Church.
More shops, cafés, bars and restaurants opening on to Marine Road are needed to enliven the area, according to the plan. The Harbour Yard is also targeted for redevelopment to create a network of new streets adjoining Dún Laoghaire DART station.
Other proposals in the Coastal Plan include:
• A public-private partnership to redevelop the currently derelict Dún Laoghaire Baths. "There is potential for a two- to three-storey development over two basement levels, provided that a design of sufficient architectural merit is proposed," the plan says.
• A public-private partnership is also proposed to redevelop Blackrock Baths for water-based leisure use, along with the adjoining DART station and the existing surface car park at Bath Place, all of which are said to detract from the area's visual amenities.
• A traffic management scheme to direct cars away from Sandycove Point, described as "a tourist hot spot which is under considerable pressure at certain times of the year from both people and cars". The beach is also to be upgraded to Blue Flag standard.
• The phased development of a coastal walk on the seaward side of the DART line is mooted as a possibility.
An application to the Department of the Marine for funding under the Coastal Protection Programme has already been made by the county council.
• Enhancement of the "under- used amenity" of Blackrock Park by renovating the formal gardens, demolition of public toilets at the entrance facing Mount Merrion Avenue and the installation of "amenity car and bicycle parking" at this location.
• Redevelopment of the surface car park of Roches Stores's Frascati shopping centre to provide a more appropriate frontage to the Blackrock bypass, possibly in- cluding an elevated pedestrian bridge linking the new buildings with Blackrock shopping centre.
• Pre-planning discussions have taken place with the VEC over the development of Blackrock Town Hall and Library - both protected structures - for academic use. Proposals are also being sought for the former fire station, which may be listed for protection.
• The plan pledges to protect and enhance Booterstown Marsh and the designated Special Protection Area for wildbirds under EU legislation. In this context, it notes that the proposed Eastern Bypass motorway would most likely run in a bored tunnel beneath the marsh.
Ms Louise McGauran, the planner who co-ordinated the draft, said it would go to the council's strategic planning committee next week, with a view to public display from April 12th to 24th.
