Rundown City Arts Centre in Dublin a ‘danger to the public’, court told

The owner of the derelict former City Arts Centre in Dublin has been told the building remains a “danger to the public” and it will be responsible if it falls and “kills” someone.

Dublin District Court has heard developers want to demolish the building because it would cost up to €90,000 to get it into a “satisfactory condition.”

Dublin City Council has taken action against Ventaway Ltd, which hopes to redevelop the City Quay site to construct the capital’s tallest structure, a 24-storey office building on the site, which has lain idle for two decades.

Dublin City Council’s refusal to grant planning permission has been appealed to An Bord Pleanála, which has yet to decide. The court heard that the firm has not engaged with the council.

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The case resumed on Wednesday when the council’s barrister told Judge Anthony Halpin the building remains “a danger to the public” while Ventaway Ltd pleaded for a new hearing date.

Judge Halpin granted the request but told the firm’s barrister, “If the building falls on someone, your client is going to be responsible if it kills them.”

The case resumes in March.

Earlier, the court heard the firm bought the site in 2021, and it was already “in a state of considerable disrepair”, and it would be hazardous to carry out repair work.

The firm submitted being summonsed to court was disproportionate and said that repair work would cost between €70,000 – €90,000 “to bring this structure to a satisfactory condition”.

However, the court has heard the council believed the work could be done safely.

In refusing permission for the 24-story development on the site, the council’s planners had said last year that it would be “likely to have noticeable and detrimental overbearing and overshadowing impacts” on neighbouring properties due to its “overwhelming scale, mass and height”.

The council announced it had refused planning permission for the project, partly due to its “scale, bulk and height”; the proposed development would “seriously detract from the setting and character of the Custom House and environs”.

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