Green light for multimillion euro redevelopment of National Concert Hall
Gordon Deegan
Dublin City Council has given the green light to plans for a multi-million euro redevelopment of the National Concert Hall (NCH) in Dublin that will double “the home of Irish music’s” economic contribution.
The Office of Public Works (OPW) has obtained planning permission from the City Council for what it claims is “a once in a multi-generational opportunity to provide a vital, world-class, cultural destination for music lovers, artists and visitors to Ireland.”
The OPW state that the plans “will open up and return to use all the buildings that comprises the historic Earlsfort Terrace campus in the centre of Dublin to the public for the first time”.
The major project aims to increase capacity of the main auditorium at the Earlsfort Terrace venue to 1,350-1,400 seats as well as to accommodate orchestras of up to 106 players and choirs of 170 singers.
The OPW planning report states that "the auditorium is at the heart of the redevelopment and all aspects of the project stem from it"
The OPW planning report states that “the redevelopment programme once complete will be transformative for music in Ireland and allow the NCH to deliver on its statutory remit as the National Cultural Institution for Music”.
The Council granted planning permission after stating that it welcomes the proposed development stating that the proposed restoration and re-development of the National Concert Hall “will provide a high quality music campus”.
In a statement lodged with the Council, Chairperson of the NCH, Maura McGrath has stated that the “redevelopment of Earlsfort Terrace will create a new and vibrant campus for music - a state of the art facility”.
Ms McGrath stated that the plans involve transforming large, underutilised areas of the Earlsfort Terrace site into additional performance and rehearsal spaces while expanding the capacity and technical facilities of the main auditorium”.
Ms McGrath stated that some of the project highlights include creating a world-class auditorium; a newly installed organ and a new dedicated rehearsal studio for the National Symphony Orchestra.
Ms McGrath stated that the redevelopment and restoration of the NCH will bring many benefits and “we will double our economic contribution to the local area while creating a major new attraction for domestic and overseas tourists and audiences.
Overall, the project provides for the restoration and redevelopment of over 16,000m² of the NCH complex in what is the largest redevelopment project ever in Ireland for a national cultural institution.
State Principal Architect at the OPW, Ciaran O’Connor told the Council that the NCH is often described as “the home of Irish music” and “it is essential that it provides a creative and accessible environment for all users”.
The 1,200-seater main auditorium in the NCH has not been upgraded since it opened in September 1981.
The planning report lodged with the application lists a range of deficiencies with the existing building and they include dated and poor front of house facilities; cramped and unattractive space for visiting performers and musicians and the poor condition of much non-public space with much of it unusable in its current state.