Concert promoters Denis Desmond and Caroline Downey Desmond’s Ambassador Theatre company has failed to secure permission to erect railings around the landmark building in order to combat “serious antisocial behaviour”.
This follows An Bord Pleanála upholding a decision by Dublin City Council to reject the application by Millennium Theatre Ltd to erect a 1.7m-high railings plan around the perimeter of the 260-year-old building at Parnell Street, Dublin 1.
The venue reopened in October as an entertainment venue after remaining shut since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, in a blow to the Desmonds’ bid to eliminate antisocial behaviour at the front of the theatre, the board in a two-to-one split decision concluded that the new railings to enclose the front of the site would negatively impact on the special character, setting and appearance of the Ambassador Theatre which is a nationally significant protected structure.
The appeals board stated that the proposal would be contrary to policies in the city development plan “and would set an undesirable precedent for similar development”.
However, in the refusal signed off by board member, Marie O’Connor, the board dismissed a “grant” recommendation by board inspector Anthony Abbott King, who was an eyewitness to the reported antisocial behaviour the Desmond firm was seeking to address.
As part of his 40-page report on the case, Mr Abbott King concluded that the appellant “has made a valid justification for the enclosure of the forecourt of the Ambassador Theatre”.
Mr Abbott King stated that he considered reinstatement of the railings to prevent antisocial behaviour as “reasonable and desirable”.
Mr Abbott King stated that the action would potentially avert antisocial behaviour and eliminate further damage to the historic fabric of the building.
He concluded that the enclosure would not have a significant adverse impact on the theatre.
Mr Abbott King reached his findings after making a site visit from 1.30pm to 2pm on October 17th last where he witnessed at first hand “street drinking, loitering and inebriation/intoxication within the forecourt area”.
He said: “I can conclude that to operate a business in this environment is challenging.”
However, in the two-to-one vote to refuse planning permission, the board stated that in deciding not to accept the inspector’s recommendation to grant permission, the board shared the concerns of the council regarding the adverse impact of the proposed railings on the setting and character of the Ambassador Theatre.
- Sign up for the Business Today newsletter and get the latest business news and commentary in your inbox every weekday morning
- Opt in to Business push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
- Join The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
- Our Inside Business podcast is published weekly – Find the latest episode here
