PROTECTED STRUCTURE: The Record Tower, Dublin Castle, Castle Street, Dublin 2
Conservation and development of the Record Tower at Dublin Castle into a new cultural and visitor facility with roof access.
2646/18 · Dublin City Council · Lodged 3 April 2018
- Reference
- 2646/18
- Authority
- Dublin City Council
- Register status
- Decided
- Type
- Permission
- Received
- 3 April 2018
Summary
AI-generatedThis application proposes the development of the Record Tower, a Protected Structure, into a cultural and visitor facility. Works include conservation of historic fabric, fire safety upgrades, minor demolitions of modern additions, and providing public access to the roof for panoramic views.
Generated from the description above by an AI model and may contain mistakes. The council’s description is the authoritative record.
Official record
Development description
Protected structure: the proposed development will consist of: the development of the record tower (a protected structure) as a new cultural and visitor facility, including access to the roof for panoramic views of dublin city. The work will consist of the conservation of the existing fabric of the tower, including medieval fabric and later fabric dating to the francis johnston additions of 1813. In order to re-open the building and make it safe for visitor access, fire upgrade works are also required. The works subject to planning permission include the following: conservation of existing historic fabric, including stonework, historic windows, renders, pointing roof timbers etc. Demolition, including removal of redundant services, removal of later w. C. Partitions, concrete steps and demolitions required for access to new stairs. Fire upgrade including rearrangement of existing steel doors, upgrade of existing structural steels, upgrade of stone floor by glazing of central oculus, new fire rated doors and linings to new opes to tower; m & e upgrade, including new mechanical and electrical services and associated builders works; construction of a new enclosed, smoke vented external fire escape stairs within an external courtyard space between the tower and the state apartments. The stairs will continue to the roof and will not be enclosed at this level; alterations to 2 no. Existing windows within the record tower to provide access from the new stairs into the tower; re-opening of an historic ope within the base of the tower in order to provide access from the ground floor of the state apartments into the tower; rearrangement of the east end of the state apartments at ground, first & second floor levels to create access to, and fire egress from, the tower and to overcome level differences from the tower into the state apartments; alterations of the existing stairs within the cross block to provide an entrance point from the new stairs to level 3 of the tower and provide an alternative means of escape. Works to the roof of the tower including the construction of an external roof access bridge connecting the new external stairs to the roof area. A balustraded publicly accessible walkway will be constructed around the circumference of the roof. These works will require minor stone removal works to the battlements of the roof. Installation of new exhibition design and interpretation on all floors of the tower. The record tower is included on the record of protected structures (ref. 2051) under the dublin city development plan (2016-2022).
Land-use zoning
What this land is zoned for
“To consolidate and facilitate the development of the central area, and to identify, reinforce, strengthen and protect its civic design character and dignity.”
National zoning type: City/Town/village Centre, central area
Objective set by the Development Plan 2022-2028 (2022–2028). The planning authority decides each application on its own merits — this is the zoning context, not a compliance assessment.
Read the zoning objectives in the development planBuilt & sold
What happened next
Beyond the decision: whether this development was built, and what property here has sold for.
Recent sales nearby
within 500 m| Address | Date | Price | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Palace Gardens, Dame St, Dublin 2 | May 2026 | €375,000 | 82 m |
| 61 Castlegate, Castle St, Dublin 2 | Mar 2026 | €275,000 | 127 m |
| 62 Castle Gate, Castle St, Dublin 2 | Oct 2025 | €365,000 | 127 m |
| 38 Castle Gate, Castle St, Dublin 2 | Feb 2025 | €395,000 | 144 m |
| Apt 12, Parliament Buildings, 38 40 Parliament St Dublin 2 | Sept 2025 | €310,000 | 144 m |
| Apt 18, Royal Exchange Building, Parliament St Dublin 2 | Sept 2025 | €335,000 | 159 m |
| 3 Royal Exchange, Parliament St, Dublin 2 | Dec 2025 | €315,000 | 159 m |
| Apt 9, Royal Exchange Building, Parliament St | Apr 2026 | €295,000 | 159 m |
Nearby properties, not this site — a guide to local values.
Sources: Building Control Management System (commencement notices) and the Residential Property Price Register, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Records are matched to this application by location and may not be exhaustive; always confirm against the official source before relying on them.
Key dates
Timeline
- Application received3 April 2018
- Further information requested28 May 2018
- Further information received20 September 2018
- Decision due17 October 2018
- Decision issued17 October 2018
- Grant issued22 November 2018
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