AN BORD Pleanála has granted planning permission to Smock Alley Theatre to turn the former Viking Adventure Centre in Temple Bar, Dublin 8 into a theatre complex.

The former adventure centre – at 15-19 Essex Street West, which closed in the mid-1990s – encompasses a series of buildings, three of them protected structures.

The former St Michael and St John’s Church extending from Exchange Quay to Essex Street West will be turned into a 220-seat theatre with a bar. It ceased as a place of worship in 1989.

The site also incorporates the walls of the original Smock Alley Theatre dating from the 17th century, the oldest theatre in Ireland. Also part of the plan is a new home for the Gaiety School of Acting with studios on the site of a former 19th century boys school at Exchange Quay.

A former girls school building dating back to 1866 will be converted to offices.

The proposal is to incorporate a 140-seat Black Box theatre with a bar/café and studio space for the Gaiety School of Acting.

The buildings are being leased to Smock Alley Ltd by the Temple Bar Trust.

One of the two parties to appeal the scheme to An Bord Pleanála feared the venue would become “another drinking emporium in Temple Bar – dressed up as a theatre”.

He said the “Old City” area of Temple Bar is currently a quiet neighbourhood of apartments over shops.

The Irish Heritage and Conservation Group said the plan takes no account of the historic context and histories of the former St Michael and St John’s Church which has a history of being the first to ring its bells for Catholic Emancipation.

An Bord Pleanála has imposed a planning condition that the bar is ancillary to theatre use and is only used in conjunction with performances.

It also insists that all works should be carried out under the supervision of a conservation expert “to ensure adequate protection of the historic fabric during the works”.