Civic Plaza plan for College Green ‘halted’ due to EU procurement laws

The plans proposed by DCC for a pedestrian and cycle plaza at College Green back in 2020 would have seen the traffic-free area double in size.

Now, the Irish Times have reported that the civic plaza contract has been terminated and the project “halted” due to EU procurement rules.

According to the Times, Dublin City Council chief executive Owen Keegan said the project had “halted” and “unfortunately” a planning application would not be submitted to the board this year. He said there was “no question it will delay the project”.

In May 2017, an application for permission to develop the College Green civic plaza was submitted to An Bord Pleanála. Approval was refused in October 2018. According to DCC’s website, they are in the process of preparing a revised application for submission to An Bord Pleanála.

However, the council have now said they must restart the procurement process for a new design team for the plaza, as they have terminated their existing contract with Paul Keogh Architects, the firm contracted over six years ago to design the traffic-free plaza.

While the board praised the initial designs and the potential to “significantly enhance the amenity and attractiveness of this city centre location”, they also believed it would have  “significantly negative impacts” on bus movements and traffic.

The council said that the diversion of buses away from College Green and a contra-flow bus lane for Winetavern Street would address these issues.

The new plans proposed for the plaza in November 2020 featured a design which would see the previously proposed traffic-free zone double in size, spanning from College Green to the junction of Dame Street and South Great George’s Street. As a result, it has been now decided to readvertise for architects, to comply with EU procurement rules, Mr Keegan told the Times.

Header image via Shutterstock 

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