GrantedChange of useDecided 23 June 2022

The Magazine Fort (a Protected Structure) Phoenix Park, Dublin 8

Conservation, repair, and change of use of several historic buildings within the Magazine Fort to facilitate public access.

3808/21 · Dublin City Council · Lodged 5 November 2021

Reference: 3808/21
Authority: Dublin City Council
Register status: Decided
Type: Permission
Received: 5 November 2021

Summary

AI-generated

The development consists of the repair, conservation, change of use, and minor alterations to several buildings within the Magazine Fort, a protected structure in Phoenix Park. The works aim to facilitate public access and include repairs to the Officers Quarters, Sergeants Quarters, and other historic structures.

Change of useprotected structureconservationtourismphoenix park

Floor area: 649 m²

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 development will consist of repair, conservation, change of use, and minor additions and alterations to, and ancillary works to a number of buildings in the magazine fort (a protected structure, rps 6760, and on the record of monuments and places rmp nos. Du018-007019) to facilitate access and use by the public, and will include
The repair, conservation, change of use and minor alterations of the existing johnston ravelin buildings which consist of officers quarters (a 1 storey building with an existing half basement, and total gfa of 329 m2, referred to as building k in the planning application documents and drawings), sergeants quarters (a 1 storey with existing basement and total gfa of 213 m2, building l), men's hut (a 1 storey building with a total gfa of 40 m2, building o) ablution room (a 1 storey building with a total gfa of 21m2, building h), sentry box (a 1 storey building with a total gfa of 25 m2, building j), men's wcs (building m, a 1 storey building with a total gfa of 22 m2), women's washhouse (building n, a 1 storey building with a total gfa of 9 m2), and women's wcs (building w, a 1 storey building with a total gfa of 1 m2); the repair and conservation work of the fort's johnston ravelin buildings (buildings h,k, l, n and w listed above) includes re-roofing with slate and lead flashings, new cast-iron rainwater goods, and general repairs to brickwork, windows, doors, timber flooring, ceiling, chimneys, plasterwork and joinery. The repair and conservation works at the johnston ravelin courtyard and moat areas will consist of the refurbishment and augmentation of the existing cobbles and stone paving and the reinstatement of salvaged metalwork (gates and railings) to the courtyard; a change of use of the former officers' quarters and sergeants quarters (buildings k and l) for use as visitor and staff facilities to include, at ground floor level, visitor reception, locker room, tea room, accessible toilets and staff offices; and, at basement level, kitchen, staff facilities (toilets,changing rooms, lockers) additional visitor toilets, plant rooms and general storage areas totalling gfa of 534 m2. Alterations to the internal existing fabric will consist of 2 nos. Openings in 2 nos. Walls in the officers' quarters and sergeants quarters (buildings k and l), and the partial removal of timber flooring at ground floor level to provide for new staff stairs, the removal of damaged timber flooring at the basement and replacing with concrete; alterations to the external fabric will include the removal of derelict subsidiary stair, wall and toilets, the removal of damaged external concrete ground surfaces, the removal of modern external gate, the removal of the men's hut, the removal of the metal shed to ablution room. New internal built works include the provision of new staff stairs and new partitioning for the new toilets; new external built works include the replacing of existing external concrete surface and limited cobbled areas with new textured concrete with integrated wayfinding recessed elements; the provision of new guardrails and addition of new external stairs to moat area, a new postern gate at the south moat wall, and a new metal external entrance gate and bridge with signage
The restoration of the duke of dorset archway, using original stonework which is currently stored on site. Interventions to the inner entrance bridge to consist of the removal of the existing metal grating and the provision of proposed new metal walkway and guardrails onto existing steel l-beams
The insertion of a new metal walkway (809 m2) at the inner fort ground level and at the rampart walls bank level to facilitate a universally accessible circumnavigational public access of the fort and ramparts (building z) to consist of: at ground level, the removal of damaged concrete paths and repair of surrounding cobble surfaces and the insertion of the proposed 1.8m wide perforated metal walkways supported on sleepers following the existing layout of concrete paths and concealing electrical services distribution; alterations to the existing fabric of the rampart walls consisting of the opening up of gun embrasures located along the west, south and east elevations by the removal of later additions of concrete blockwork. At rampart level, the provision of an assembly of sleepers set into the grounds bearing the new perforated metal walkways & guarding aligned with the lower stone step level (at c. 250mm above the rampart walls bank level) at the northwest bastion and along the west portion of the existing rampart walls and aligned with the top stone step level (at c. 750mm above the rampart walls bank level) at the southwest bastion and along the south portion of the rampart walls, the provision of guarding at the southeast bastion, the provision of steel safety guarding at the newly opened existing gun embrasures, and a new flagpole at the existing flagpole platform at the southeast bastion. No element of the proposed walkway is above the existing height of the rampart walls' parapets; the provision of access at change of levels between ground and rampart walkways involving the erection of 2 no. Steel truss ramps at the northwest and southeast bastions; and a part m accessible lift and access lobbies (2 storeys and c. 7.2m in height) at the northwest bastion. The lift structure will consist of a weathered blockwork shaft on concrete pit foundation with adjoining protected access lobbies, all clad in metal cladding
The repair, conservation, change of use and minor alteration of the existing corrugated iron bakery building (a 1 storey building with a total gfa of 296 m2, building b) consisting of local repairs where necessary for health & safety, to the wall sheeting and the replacement of roof coverings, cleaning of the steel frame and stanchion structural remedial works, the provision of new metal rainwater goods, and the restoration and weatherproofing of windows and doors. The change of use consists of the use of the bakery building as a new unheated exhibition and visitor orientation/gathering spaces (total gfa of 296 m2). Alterations to the existing fabric include the removal of 1 no. Corrugated sheeting wall
The repair, conservation, change of use and minor alteration of the existing magazine gunpowder store buildings (a 1 storey building containing 3 no. Vaults with a total gfa 704 m2, building a) to consist of: repair and conservation works including the recovering of slate roofing with new felt and timber battens and re-use of existing slate, with new slate as required to match existing, the restoration of stone capping, the repair of external wall harling and stonework, the restoration of rainwater goods and new to match existing where required, the repair of existing timber flooring, and the repair of the brick vaulted structure, including structural stitching to corners; the change of use of the magazine vaults consists of the use of the former vaults as new unheated exhibition spaces, including exhibition space (296 m2) in vault a, and immersive audio-visual installations in vaults b & c (total of 408 m2); alterations to the existing fabric to consist of the provision of a connection between vaults b and c and the demolition of relevant wall section, the removal of later added concrete flooring in vault c and the removal of later added brickwork to the front of vault c. New build consists of the insertion of a new metal walkway, seating and railings supported on steel frame and timber sleepers, in vaults b & c and the porch of vault a; and the provision of a new dark room door at the front of vault c. , and lining to the proposed connection
The repair, conservation and change of use of the shifting room (a 1 storey building with a total gf of 25 m2, building g) to provide a new switchroom and an av room
The provision of electrical services along the new walkways; which consists of the removal of existing switchboards in the sentry box (a 2 storey building with a total gfa of, 22 m2, building j) and provision of a switchroom in the officers' quarters the provision of surface ducting (below proposed metal walkway-see
);8. The repair of existing drainage networks as necessary and provision of new connections from the johnston ravelin visitor facilities (see
) to the existing network

Land-use zoning

What this land is zoned for

Z9: Amenity/Open Space Lands/Green NetworkOS

“To preserve, provide and improve recreational amenity, open space and ecosystem services.”

National zoning type: Mixed/general 'green'/recreation/conservation, other

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 plan

Built & 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

Residential Property Price Register sales within 500 metres of this site
Address	Date	Price	Distance
247 Bellevue, Fairbarn House, Islandbridge Dublin 8	Jul 2025	€265,000	158 m
19 The Salmon Pool, Chapelizod Rd, Dublin 8	May 2026	€605,000	194 m
East Wing, Chapelizod Road, Dublin 8	May 2026	€725,000	205 m
Apt 76, Bellevue, Islandbridge Dublin 8	Apr 2026	€368,000	360 m
74 Bellevue, Islandbridge, Dublin 8	Apr 2026	€295,000	360 m
30 Bellevue, Islandbridge, Dublin 8	Sept 2025	€429,000	389 m
Apt 33, Bellevue, Islandbridge Dublin 8	Apr 2025	€437,000	389 m
Apartment 22 Block B, Bellvue, Island Bridge	Sept 2025	€387,500	389 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 received5 November 2021
Further information requested7 January 2022
Further information received27 May 2022
Decision due23 June 2022
Decision issued23 June 2022
Grant issued10 August 2022

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