Bord Pleanala blocks demolition of Liberty Hall tower.
Ireland’s first skyscraper, Liberty Hall, will remain a feature on the Dublin skyline after An Bord Pleanala refused permission to demolish the building.
Trade union SIPTU had been granted planning permission by Dublin City Council last year to demolish the 17-storey, 60 metre building and replace it with a 22-storey building of more than 93 metres.
But in its ruling, the board said the site was of “national historic and social significance”, and that it was a protected structure of “primary importance”. The planning appeals board appeared to rule out a further application to develop the site.
In a unanimous decision, it said it did not agree with its planning inspector that the cause for the demolition of Liberty Hall had been “justified”.
One of the capital’s most polarising buildings, Liberty Hall was designed by Desmond Rea O’Kelly and completed in 1965.
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