Google lodges plans for pub in Dublin

The Irish arm of tech giant, Google has lodged plans for a Dublin 4 pub.

In recent days, Google Ireland Ltd has lodged plans with Dublin City Council to change a permitted use of ‘retail, cafe, restaurant, marketplace’ to that of ‘public house’ for the ground floor and lower ground floor of Unit 3 Building B at Google’s Boland’s Mill campus on Ringsend Rd, Dublin 4.

Planning consultant for Google Ireland, John Spain has told the council that the application is being made “in response from active interest from a public house operator and a recent change in the tenancy mix to contribute to the overall vitality mix of the wider uses of Boland’s Quay”.

The pub operator is not identified in the application documentation. Mr Spain contends that the pub use “will contribute to the evening economy and activity in the area”.

In the 13 page planning report, Mr Spain also argues that the public house use “will assist in enhancing the vitality and attractiveness of the overall scheme as a destination for visitors as well as local residents”.

Mr Spain has told the council that the proposed public house “is closely aligned with the permitted uses and will provide an additional use to enhance the viability of its function and the wider development”.

The total floor area under consideration is 660 sq metres.

Mr Spain said that the wider development at the former Boland’s Mill campus and 35/35A Barrow Street is under construction and nearing completion.

He said the application is being brought forward in response to the interest of a prospective tenant at the unit and the proposed public house use “will also prevent the unit potentially being vacant when the development is completed”.

Mr Spain said that there is an absence of an available tenant to occupy the unit under the permitted ‘retail, cafe, restaurant, marketplace’.

He said that “the development is nearing completion and the applicant wishes that all available group floor uses to be occupied upon operation and opening.”

Mr Spain states that “the proposed development will add positively to the mix of uses within the wider Bolands Quay scheme, providing an active front to Ringsend Road to the north and the public open space and Bolands Square adjacent to the south”.

Mr Spain states that there are no physical changes to the protected structure proposed.

The application comes nine months after Google officially opened the first phase of its Bolands Mills development.

The historic Flour Mills building at the complex has been restored and adapted into a dedicated collaboration space for Google which purchased the mills in 2018.

The Council is due to make a decision on the public house application towards the end of next month.

Reporting by Gordon Deegan