43 Dawson Street, Dublin

2015

Development proposed for 29 Dawson Street, Dublin 2.

Town Planning Report Planning Report to accompany planning application lodged with Dublin City Council on behalf of Thomas Pink Ireland Ltd for a change of use from a retail shop to coffee shop at 29 Dawson Street, Dublin 2.

Manahan Planners 38 Dawson Street, Dublin 2 9/24/2015

Introduction This planning report has been prepared in connection with a planning application by Thomas Pink Ireland Ltd for the change of use from a retail shop to a coffee shop at 29 Dawson Street, Dublin 2.

Site Context The site is located towards the southern end of Dawson Street which is predominantly populated at ground floor by retail, commercial and cafe/restaurant units. The site is neighboured by a cocktail bar (Peruke and Periwig) to the north and a wine and Whiskey Specialty shop (Celtic Whiskey/Wines on the Green) to the south.

Extract from Dublin City Development Plan 2010-2016 Zoning Map E

The subject site is designated Objective Z5 which seeks to "consolidate and facilitate the development of the central area, and to identify, reinforce, strengthen and protect its civic design character and dignity" while aiming to "sustain life within the centre of the city through intensive mixed-use development".

The site is located within an Architectural Conservation Area (ACA). ACA status is intended to preserve the special character of streetscapes that are “of architectural, historical, archaeological, artistic, cultural, scientific, technical or social interest�.

Many of the surrounding buildings are Protected Structures, but Number 29 is not included in that List. Moreover no changes are proposed to the external appearance of this building.

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Planning History The following planning applications pertain to the subject site.

Permission was granted in 4 March 1998 by Dublin City Council (Reg. Ref. 2933/97) for retention of 2 no. external fascia mounted fox head insignias.

Permission was granted in 23 September 1997 by Dublin City Council (Reg. Ref. 1591/97) for alterations to existing shop front, for revised facia mounted illuminated signage and for new hanging sign and illumination.

Permission was refused (Reg. Ref. 2950/97) to add lighting to the building by both the Planning Authority and An Bord Pleanala (29s.105581) on the grounds they were inconsistent with a List 2 protected building. With the introduction of the new unified Protected Structure system in 2000, this building was not included, presumably as its construction was of more recent vintage that the surrounding buildings. The current application is for a change of use only and so external issues on the building do not enter into the assessment of this application.

The Proposal The proposal relates to the change of use from that of a retail outlet to a coffee shop use. The Ground and Basement levels would be fitted out as a coffee shop. The upper floors will remain in office use. It should be noted that it is proposed to serve coffee and pastries and such like from a server area as shown on the accompanying drawings.

It is not proposed to create a Kitchen which would serve a full range of food such that this premises could be regarded as a restaurant.

It is proposed to locate an accessible toilet, the seating and serving area at Ground Floor level while a customer and staff toilet as well as a staff changing room are proposed for the Basement Level. The remainder of the Basement is to be used as an office/storage area.

No external or structural modifications are proposed for the building. The name of a future operator would be located within the existing fascia sign.

Planning Considerations The subject site is located on Dawson Street which is classified as a 'Category 2' retail street in the Development Plan's Retail Strategy.

The Retail Strategy supports the presence of cafe's on Category 2 streets, stating "complementary non-retail uses such as a cafe and restaurants that add to the vibrancy of the street and create a mixed-use environment to provide for a more integrated shopping and leisure experience, will be considered favourably but with regard also to the primary retail function of the street."

Paragraph 10.5.2 of the Development Plan identifies the need to control "the extent of provision of non-retail uses at ground floor level, but also allows for uses complementary to the main shopping focus such as a cafĂŠs, bars, restaurants and galleries".

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A cafe is a permissible use under Z5 zoning.

Policy RE10 recognises the importance of the locally traded service sector and seeks to "promote and facilitate the economic and employment generating potential of the locally traded services sector, making the city more attractive/vibrant for residents, shoppers, visitors and workers, and to recognise the clustering benefits of, for example, cafes and restaurants".

There has been comment recently concerning the loss of retail premises within Dublin City Centre, with an increased demand for cafe and restaurant uses. In the past this would represent a worrying trend, one that was often associated with the urban decline and the emergence of suburban shopping centres. This "suburban flight" was symptomatic of the threats that city centres around the world faced in the past three or four decades. Many city centres were "hollowed" out and suffered from the "donut effect" which led in many places to decades of vacancy and urban decay.

However, rather than a sign of the decline of city centre streets, the increase in demand for cafe and restaurant premises is part of an international trend that can be associated with city centres that experience increased liveability and improved pedestrian environments. City centres today strive to be places that people stay in and spend time in, rather than as purely locations to carry out functional tasks such as offices and shopping, which close at 6.00 and are empty at night.

It is the case that the retail sector has undergone radical transformations, with iconic Dublin stores changing ownership, the introduction of international brands and arguably most critically, the emergence of online retailing. This has led to some retailers reducing their requirement for floor space in city centre premises. To leave their premises empty and vacant would create a sense of decay and dereliction rather than vibrancy and making streets attractive places to visit.

As the Development Plan's Retail Strategy outlines, cafes create a valuable contribution to the "integrated shopping and leisure experience" in Dublin City centre.

The proposed cafe will bring increased vibrancy to this part of Dawson Street and will arguably bring greater activity than the existing clothing shop and generate larger flows of pedestrian footfall.

Dawson Street, as a Category 2 retail street, requires ancillary and complementary businesses such as cafe's to augment its retail presence and improve the user experience of visitors to the street. Further, Dawson Street has a strong presence of commercial units. Again, as the economy has strengthened recently after a protracted downturn, there is a greater demand for office space in the city centre and on streets such as Dawson Street. A plentiful supply of cafe's, restaurants and bars in the local vicinity has become an increasing priority for occupiers and prospective tenants of these commercial premises.

A city and its centre in particular, dating back to ancient Greece and beyond, is both a meeting place for its citizens to converse in leisure and a market place to transact its work activities. Economic research indicates that the increase in consumption generally and on comparison goods in particular over the past 20 years has been debt driven rather than deriving from increasing productivity and wages. The need for deleveraging over the next 20 years is agreed by most commentators. This will affect 29 Dawson Street, Dublin 2 September 2015

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spending on comparison goods and so the need for physical floor space will decline.

This process will be accelerated by the migration of spending to the internet. In such circumstances it is submitted that it is not the function of the Planning system to require that the quantum of floor space in retail use remains higher than is required.

In addition the quality and quantity of its coffee shops in a city centre is a draw for tourists and is used by the local tourist boards in their promotional literature – think Munich, Vienna, Barcelona. Dublin must not lose out in promoting this economic activity.

Finally a city is ever evolving. Changes of use to coffee shops are easily reversible. If in the future the demand for retail floor space picks up again and if retail generates a greater return than a coffee shop, owners and occupiers of buildings will migrate back to retail. In the meantime, buildings should continue in uses that are desirable and sought after at the time.

Conclusion In conclusion, it is submitted that the proposal the subject of this application is consistent with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area, and is consistent with the provisions of the city development plan. Accordingly we request that the planning authority grant permission for the development as proposed.

Manahan Planners 12 October 2015

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