College Green plaza public consultation closing on Wednesday
The public consultation process for the updated College Green plaza project closes on March 12, meaning Dubliners have until midnight on Wednesday to give feedback on the proposals.
Dublin City Council (DCC) is encouraging as many people as possible to submit their views, as this is the final round of consultation before the final designs are drafted and a planning application is submitted.
The sweeping changes coming to College Green include extensive greening and seating, two major water features, and a large paved events space in front of Trinity College.
The entire space between Trinity College and the junction of South Great George’s Street/Dame Street is to become pedestrianised under the plans, with emergency vehicle access via the western end of the plaza.
A new cycle route will run along the southern edge of Dame Street, before crossing north at the Bank of Ireland building and following a similar line to the existing cycle lane. Pedestrian crossing points for the cycle corridor will be dotted throughout the plaza.
A patchwork of green spaces, incorporating 75 new trees, several lawns and extensive planting, connect the space between the Bank of Ireland building and South Great George’s Street.
Extensive seating and a play space are also part of the project, with the council promising “an environment that encourages people to stop, relax and connect with the city around them.”
Sustainable drainage solutions are another major consideration for the scheme, with rain gardens and underground water storage combining to retain and slow the effects of rainfall in the city centre.
Public toilets are not included in the current proposals, but DCC has said there is an allocation in the project budget for such a facility. Designers are working with council waste management on toilet proposals for the area, the authority said.
DCC’s latest plans for the space represent a greener, more ambitious vision for the area than past proposals, which only stretched as far as Anglesea Street and had fewer trees.
The planning application for the project is set to be lodged this summer, with construction slated for around October/November 2027.
Construction is set to cost up to €80m, including a sizeable 40pc contingency, and is hoped to be complete in 2030.
Members of the public can view the plans and contribute their thoughts via DCC’s online portal here.