AIB has got the go-ahead from Dublin City Council for a controversial seven-storey headquarters in Ballsbridge, Dublin 4. Edel Morgan reports.

The development will be built in the 14-acre grounds of the existing 1970s-built bankcentre and will be bounded by Serpentine Avenue to the east and Merrion Road to the south.

AIB say they are building the new headquarters because the existing group head office functions have grown since the 1980s with an outward spread of staff and facilities. The new 36,834 sq m (396,480 sq ft) development in three blocks from five to seven stories will involve a doubling in size of the bankcentre facilities and a consequent doubling of employees from 2,000 to over 4,000.

The development will be in two phases, the first involving 30,466 sq m (327,933 sq ft) of offices in four to six stories, an atrium, 369 surface car-parking spaces, 298 additional basement car spaces and a five-storey glazed gallery.

The second phase will involve 349 surface car-parking spaces, 71 additional basement car-parking spaces and a four to six-storey extension to the north of the existing building, designed around a series of atria.

RKD architects is behind the design of the new headquarters.

A large number of objections to the development were received by Dublin City Council, largely from residents of Serpentine Terrace and Serpentine Avenue. The impact of the overall development on the area in terms of traffic, height and consequent overlooking were among concerns.

Many objections pointed to existing traffic congestion on Serpentine Avenue because of the gates for the DART crossing.

Some objectors complained that locals also have to contend with the impact of another massive development at the nearby RDS.

Among the conditions of planning permission is that Serpentine Avenue will have to be reconstituted to include right turning lanes into the development at the relocated northern entrance. Another condition required AIB to investigate the potential for a shuttle bus service linking the site to the Luas.

The planning authority also requires that AIB provide a pedestrian link through the site form the DART station to Merrion Road utilising the proposed plazas.