Bord Gáis theatre and Marker Hotel oppose plan for kiosks at Grand Canal Square

The Bord Gáis Energy Theatre and the five-star Marker Hotel are opposing plans for two retail kiosks at Grand Canal Square in Dublin’s Silicon Docks.

Fastwell Ltd is proposing to replace two metal boxes on the square with the two kiosks.

Landscape architect and Harvard academic Prof Martha Schwartz told Dublin City Council that the proposal would “significantly alter the overall design of the square. We therefore strongly object to this planning proposal”.

The operator of the theatre, Crownway Entertainment, claims that the proposal would reduce safety standards for users of Grand Canal Square and the theatre in particular. IPUT plc and Irish Life Assurance also lodged objections.

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Planning consultant for Fastwell, William Doran, told the council that the two kiosks would be operated as part of the Cafe Bar H business, with one kiosk selling coffee and the second flowers.

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Advancing the case for the application, Mr Doran said “women, generally, are unhappy at crossing the square alone at night. If the kiosks were brightly lit it would significantly reduce the area of shadow, improve safety and the appearance of the plaza for the visually impaired”. He said that “Grand Canal Square at night can be a dark, menacing area, fraught at times, with antisocial behaviour and not somewhere any individuals would venture unaccompanied, particularly in the vicinity of the metal boxes”.

Mr Doran said the overall concept of the square was good for its time. “However as with all designs some elements fail to achieve ... these two metal boxes represent such a failure,” he added. He also said planning permission had already been granted for two retail kiosks at the current location in 2015 but that planning permission expired after a High Court action which was resolved in favour of Fastwell Ltd.

However, general manager of the Marker Hotel, Michael Davern, told the council that “the proposal compromises the iconic design of the square by a world renowned designer and could be detrimental to the vista and aesthetics from and of the Marker Hotel”.