GrantedCommercialDecided 23 November 2022

National Concert Hall, Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2

Refurbishment of the National Concert Hall and construction of a new four-storey extension with a planetarium dome.

4951/22 · Dublin City Council · Lodged 29 September 2022

Reference: 4951/22
Authority: Dublin City Council
Register status: Appealed
Type: Permission
Received: 29 September 2022

Summary

AI-generated

This project involves the conservation and refurbishment of the north and east wings of the National Concert Hall and the Real Tennis Court. It includes a new four-storey over basement extension with a planetarium dome to house the National Children's Science Centre, alongside the demolition of some existing outbuildings.

Commercialprotected structuremuseumdemolitionplanetarium

Storeys: 4
Floor area: 9,580 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 the conservation and refurbishment of the existing north wing and part of the east wing of the national concert hall and the real tennis court building and the construction of a new four storey over basement extension with a planetarium dome to the west of the north wing at the boundary of the iveagh gardens. The development includes the change of use of the former ucd school of civil engineering to the national children's science centre. The total floor area of the development is approx. 9580 sq. M. The national concert hall, real tennis court and iveagh house (department of foreign affairs) and iveagh gardens, including stone garden folly are designated protected structures (references rps 2425, 2426 and 7791). In order to facilitate the new extension, the following demolitions are required
450 sq. M two storey stone building, which houses a workshop, plant area and ancillary items; and a 120 sq. M maintenance shed located in the north western corner of the site; - a section of the boundary along the iveagh gardens, allowing for a new access ramp and steps into the iveagh gardens. - a 200 sq. M single storey lean-to structure located to the south side of the real tennis court building, providing for universal access to the real tennis court building. The real tennis court building will be refurbished including the restoration of the tennis court (to a playable condition), and to facilitate space for temporary displays and exhibitions. Construction of a single storey structure to the south side of the real tennis court building will provide universal access, and will include a lobby, toilets, tea station, stairs, lift and ancillary works. Existing windows and roof lights are to be repaired, restored and upgraded as required. The construction of a new link tunnel with a single storey glazed box roof light will connect the real tennis court building to the north east corner of the national concert hall. The restoration and refurbishment works to the north and east wings of the former ucd school of engineering will include a new entrance to the existing north wing, new fire doors to corridors, new lift core to link all levels and permanent interactive display spaces from basement to second floor, a gift shop, lecture theatre, science demonstration laboratory, classrooms, schools lunch area, offices, new sanitary facilities and additional ancillary accommodation. Refurbishment work will also include the restoration of existing external and internal windows and doors, upgrading of the existing roof and roof lights and all minor/ repair work. All existing plant to be removed from roof and replaced with new plant to be located on both the existing and new roof extension. The new extension will connect to the existing building through a glazed link and will include interactive display spaces, a domed planetarium, and external balcony, café, circulation cores and ancillary spaces. Additional plant, toilets and support accommodation will be housed in the basement. The external works will comprise of hard and soft landscaping, lighting, new steps and ramps to facilitate universal access to the existing north wing and iveagh gardens, a section of new decorative railings to iveagh gardens to replace the proposed section of wall to be removed 26 no. Bicycle stands, new surface water attenuation, new foul connection and all associated ancillary works on a site area of circa. 0.837 hectares. The development has been screened for both appropriate assessment and environmental impact assessment

Land-use zoning

What this land is zoned for

Z8: Georgian Conservation Areas

“To protect the existing architectural and civic design character, and to allow only for limited expansion consistent with the conservation objective.”

National zoning type: General

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
23 Earlsfort Court, Hatch St Lower, Dublin 2	Apr 2026	€325,000	183 m
27 Lower Hatch Street, Dublin 2, Dublin2	Jun 2026	€1,925,000	230 m
Apartment 9, Saint Stephens, Leeson Lane	Jan 2026	€585,000	249 m
Apt 10, St Stephens, Leeson Lane	Aug 2025	€550,000	249 m
Apt 12 Russell Court, 95/96 St Stephens Green, Dublin 2	Jul 2025	€615,000	274 m
12 Earl Court, Adelaide Rd, Dublin 2	Sept 2025	€411,000	284 m
9 Earl Court, Adelaide Rd, Dublin 2	Dec 2025	€385,000	284 m
Flat 1, 75 Leeson Street Lower, Dublin 2	Apr 2026	€2,300,000	295 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 received29 September 2022
Decision due23 November 2022
Decision issued23 November 2022
Grant issued26 March 2024
Appeal submitted19 December 2022
Appeal decided26 March 2024

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