The proposal for a tall building on this central Dublin site was supported by a site-specific City Council policy linked to improvements to Tara Street Station. Ronan Group Real Estate instructed us together with the architects Henry J Lyons and John Spain Associates as planning advisors to devise a scheme which fulfilled the policy requirements and which provided a worthy landmark of sufficient design quality not to harm the historic townscape.

The brief included a station plaza, offices, a hotel and a top NBC storey restaurant. The height was prescribed as a maximum but only so long as the design avoided harm. This concept was much debated with the consultancy at the forefront, both to guide the architecture and to reassure decision makers that ‘impact’ can be ‘beneficial’ if the design is of true landmark quality.

The controversy gave rise to an appeal against the scheme and an oral hearing before an inspector for the Planning Board. We were represented as an expert witness on design, townscape, heritage and visual assessment. After some considerable delay and alterations made to the top of the building the Board issued a permission. Construction is now on site.