Fáilte Ireland has intervened in the planning row concerning Hammerson's regeneration plan for a 5.4 acre site off Dublin's O'Connell Street.
This follows the State tourism agency writing to Dublin City Council to say that planning permission should be granted for the contentious scheme as the redevelopment "is long overdue and is to be welcomed".
The closing date for objections against the development is now over.
Fáilte Ireland’s environment and planning manager, Shane Dineen, said the development would assist in the sustainable growth of Dublin’s tourism by attracting more visitors to the northside of the city.
Fáilte Ireland's support for the project follows that of well-known retailer, Louis Copeland.
Mr Copeland told Dublin City Council he had “sadly witnessed the gradual decline of the Dublin Central/Carlton site over the years with a number of missed opportunities for redevelopment”.
He said the proposed scheme represented a huge opportunity for the appropriate development of O’Connell Street, Henry Street and Moore Street.
“These areas are almost a no-go zone after dark, hardly the status of what is known as Ireland’s Main Street. These tastefully designed proposals will put Dublin 1 back on the map, tidy up the area and give the nation back its Main Street.”
The scheme is made up of 476,000sq ft office space; 61,000sq ft of retail space, 26,000sq ft of food and beverage space, two hotels and 94 residential units.
A report submitted by JLL on behalf of Hammerson stated that the economic value to be generated by the scheme is €1 billion.
Opposition
The support for the project comes in the face of strong opposition against the scheme from a number of organisations concerned over the impact the scheme will have on Moore Street and its historical connections to 1916.
Deputy First Minister for the North Ireland Executive Michelle O'Neill is the latest high-profile Sinn Féin member to voice concerns, and follows Gerry Adams and Mary Lou McDonald TD lodging submissions over the scheme.
Other Sinn Féin TDs to lodge submissions include Matt Carthy, Pearse Doherty, Rose Conway-Walsh, Seán Crowe, Réada Cronin, Pádraig Mac Lochlainn, Louise O'Reilly, Imelda Munster, John Brady and Aengus Ó'Snodaigh.
In her submission, Ms O’Neill contends that the application does not protect or preserve all of the 1916 elements on site as it intends to demolish a part of the last headquarters of the 1916 provisional government of the Irish Republic.
A decision is due on the application later this month.
