161 - 163 Thomas Street, Dublin 8
Continued use of a temporary shipping container café and retail unit on Thomas Street for three years.
WEB6021/25 · Dublin City Council · Lodged 18 December 2025
- Reference
- WEB6021/25
- Authority
- Dublin City Council
- Register status
- Decided
- Type
- Permission
- Received
- 18 December 2025
Summary
AI-generatedThe applicant is seeking planning permission to continue operating a temporary café and retail unit on a section of unused land in the Digital Hub complex. The development consists of two converted single-storey shipping containers which have been on-site for over eight years.
- Storey
- 1
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
- Happy hand ltd intend to apply for continued planning permission for 3 years for a temporary café/retail unit on a section of derelict land located at 161-163 thomas street, dublin
- The development consists of two converted shipping containers, single storey in height. The development is situated on unused land in the digital hub complex. We have operated on this site for over 8 years already
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10a Rainsford Ave, Dublin 8, Dublin | May 2026 | €346,000 | 164 m |
| 134 Thomas Street, The Liberties, Dublin | Jan 2025 | €185,000 | 176 m |
| 134 Thomas Street, The Liberties, Dublin | Sept 2025 | €550,000 | 176 m |
| Apt 2b, Rainsford Ave, Dublin 8 | May 2026 | €285,000 | 189 m |
| 105 The Maltings, Bonham St, Dublin 8 | Apr 2025 | €232,000 | 194 m |
| 136 The Maltings, Bonham St, Dublin 8 | Dec 2025 | €273,000 | 194 m |
| 31 Thomas Court, Off Thomas Street, Dublin | Dec 2025 | €636,000 | 201 m |
| Apt 9 St Catherines Church, Bridgefoot Street, Dublin 8 | Apr 2025 | €267,500 | 206 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 received18 December 2025
- Decision due20 February 2026
- Decision issued19 February 2026
- Permission expiry22 April 2029
In the area
Applications near this site
Other planning applications within about 500 m — what else is being proposed or built nearby.
- InvalidAt this site
Two 20ft shipping containers being used as a take away café. Permission was granted in 2017. We need to…
161-163 Thomas Street, Dublin 8
WEB5771/25Dublin CityLodged 11 Nov 2025Commercial
- InvalidAt this site
Planning permission/extension for the current cafe/retail unit. The development consists of two converted…
161, Thomas Street, Dublin 8
4369/19Dublin CityLodged 5 Nov 2019Commercial
- InvalidAt this site
Happy Hand Ltd intend to apply for continued planning permission for 3 years for a temporary café/retail unit…
Container Coffee, Thomas Street, Dublin 8
WEB5996/25Dublin CityLodged 16 Dec 2025Commercial
- GrantedAt this site
Planning permission for the continued use of the current structure as a cafe/retail unit as granted under…
161, Thomas Street, Dublin 8
4685/19Dublin CityLodged 12 Dec 2019Commercial
- InvalidAt this site
Happy Hand Ltd intend to apply for continued planning permission for 3 years for a temporary café/retail unit…
161 - 163 Thomas Street, Dublin 8, Dublin, D08FF6A
WEB5952/25Dublin CityLodged 4 Dec 2025Commercial
- Granted40 m away
PROTECTED STRUCTURE: The proposed development comprises a ten-year planning permission to provide a building…
Arthurs House, 1 Thomas Street, Dublin 8, D08 AX97
4958/22Dublin CityLodged 30 Sept 2022Commercial
- Invalid40 m away
PROTECTED STRUCTURE: The proposed development comprises a ten-year planning permission to provide a building…
Arthurs House, 1 Thomas Street, Dublin 8, D08 AX97
4918/22Dublin CityLodged 23 Sept 2022Commercial
- Granted50 m away
PROTECTED STRUCTURE: Change of use of St. Patrick's Tower from a vacant building to exhibition space and…
Saint Patrick's Tower, The Digital Hub, Thomas Street, Dublin 8
4040/20Dublin CityLodged 23 Dec 2020Change of use
Related developments
Similar applications
Ranked by what these developments actually propose, not by matching words — so you can see how comparable applications were decided.
- InvalidCommercial
Happy Hand Ltd intend to apply for continued planning permission for 3 years for a temporary café/retail unit…
161 - 163 Thomas Street, Dublin 8, Dublin, D08FF6A
WEB5952/25Dublin CityLodged 4 Dec 2025
- GrantedCommercial
Planning permission for the continued use of the current structure as a cafe/retail unit as granted under…
161, Thomas Street, Dublin 8
4685/19Dublin CityLodged 12 Dec 2019
- RefusedCommercial
Planning Permission for 3 years for a temporary café/bar unit on vacant derelict land located at 13-14…
13-14, Exchange Street Lower, Dublin 8
3607/18Dublin CityLodged 30 Jul 2018
- GrantedChange of use
Permission for development at this site, lands to rear of No's 17-25 Thomas Street, Dublin 8 with access via…
Back Lands to the rear of No. 17-25, Thomas Street, Dublin 8
4102/18Dublin CityLodged 5 Oct 2018
- GrantedDemolition
PROTECTED STRUCTURE: The Land Development Agency intends to apply for permission for development comprising…
Former cash and carry at the rear of Nos. 10-13 Thomas Street West, Dublin 8 with vehicular access, to Rainsford Street to the south;a vacant site between 13 &17 Thomas Street West, Dublin 8; and a, surface car park to the rear of 17 to 25 Thomas Street W
WEB2603/25Dublin CityLodged 13 May 2025
- GrantedDemolition
PROTECTED STRUCTURE. The Land Development Agency intends to apply for permission for development comprising…
1-3 Thomas Court, Dublin 8; at the rear of 10-13 Thomas Street West, Dublin 8 with vehicular access, to Rainsford Street to the south;a vacant site between 13 &17 Thomas Street West, Dublin 8; and a, surface car park to the rear of 17 to 25 Thomas Street
WEB2781/24Dublin CityLodged 19 Dec 2024
Community
Discussion
What local people think about this application.
Community sentiment
No votes yetNobody has voted on this application yet.
Community sentiment — a straw poll of people who visited this page, not a statutory submission. To make a valid observation you must submit it to the planning authority.
Sign in to have your say on this application.
No comments yet. Be the first to say what you think about this application.
Sign in to join the discussion on this application.
Comments are moderated and are the opinions of the people who wrote them. They form no part of the statutory planning process — to make a valid observation you must submit it to the planning authority.