Submissions from An Taisce and the Eastern Regional Fisheries Board are among 125 submissions received by Dublin City Council on the Lansdowne Road stadium redevelopment.
Lansdowne Road Stadium Development Company Limited lodged an application with the council in January to redevelop the arena into an all-seater venue with a capacity of 50,000.
The €€365 million proposal, designed by HOK Sport Architecture, in conjunction with Irish company Scott Tallon Walker, centres on the demolition of the existing stadium and its reconstruction to 48 metres in height.
The proposal attracted at least 20 supporting submissions from the Football Association of Ireland and various football clubs and associations around the country.
Their submissions, many in identical form, said that the existing stadium has long since passed its usefulness and the redeveloped stadium would "not only be a great resource for our international players but would act as a great stimulus to the 400,000 boys, girls, men and women who play soccer on a regular basis in Ireland". A submission from Wanderers rugby football club, while supporting the redevelopment of the stadium, pointed out that the club has a licence for the use of playing pitches on the site and has not yet reached an agreement with the Irish Rugby Football Union in relation to the development.
A submission from An Taisce suggested that the environmental impact statement that accompanied the proposal was deficient in addressing alternative sites and should have considered the Irish Glass Bottle site in the Docklands area. The Eastern Regional Fisheries Board said the nearby Dodder River is an important fishery, particularly for salmon and trout, and called for anti-pollution measures.
Over 60 submissions came from local residents. Concerns included overshadowing and loss of light, the impact of construction, the demolition of 70 Shelbourne Road and the overlooking caused by the podium, which will cross the Dart line from Shelbourne Road at about the height of the nearby two-storey homes. Other concerns were the dangers of asbestos during roof demolition and the need for structural surveys of nearby properties.
