Home | Dublin | Reflecting City

TCD: 1995 Development Control Plan

In 1995 the Site Planning Committee (SPC) published a Development Control Plan (DCP) for Trinity College Dublin. It was intended that this plan would ensure that the growing academic and social needs of the College were met whilst at the same time retaining the unique character of the College. The growing academic and administrative needs stem primarily from the growth in student numbers and the ever increasing levels of research activity in the College. The social needs derive from the dual role of the College Green campus as a major centre of learning and its position as the most important heritage centre and tourist site in the capital city.

The limited size of the College Green campus and the need to preserve the quality of the existing environment places constraints on the way in which the College can meet the varying demands it faces. The fact that the College occupies a primary site in the centre of the capital city means that it also has major responsibilities in the context of urban planning. Moreover, the development of the College will inevitably be affected by the approach taken to the city’s planning authorities to urban planning, which continues to evolve.

Heritage Context

The vast open squares in the West End of the campus, with granite,  Portland stone and brick buildings surrounding cobblestones, lawns and trees, create a spacious formality unparalled in collegiate architecture in the British Isles. Building began in 1700 with the Rubrics and the latest building completed was Ushers Library in 2002.  The East End buildings, principally comprising scientific laboratories,  were built in stages in the last quarter of the 19th century. Recent developments at Westland Row - the O’Reilly, Hamilton and Bio-Technology buildings - were  completed in the 1990’s. The treatment of the important historic buildings is of national and international as well as College importance. Any changes to the exterior of these buildings must comply with the Dublin City Development Plan, which also covers the interiors of several buildings.

The level of tourism on the College Green campus has increased dramatically over the past 20 years, from about 160,000 people in 1984 to over 350,000 in 1994. Such an increase is hardly surprising,  especially in the context of tourist access to the Book of Kells, to the Long Room and to buildings, especially those in Front Square.  However, there are significant implications for College in that the increased volume of tourists is no longer confined to the summer months, but extends throughout the year. Since national policy is to develop tourism as an annual rather than seasonal activity, it is to be expected that this aspect of tourism will increase. Planning is therefore required to insure that this development does not infringe on the academic work of the College, while at the same time facilitating interest in the College by foreign and Irish visitors.

The response of the College community to the rapid development of tourism has been somewhat negative in the past. Many members regret the amount of space effectively given over to heritage/historic rather htan academic activities. Furthermore there is a steady stream of Dubliners who traverse the campus en route to work and these numbers increase at stress points already generated by students and tourists. The SPC concluded that it is timely to address the issue systematically and attempt to route tourists and passing visitors so that their impact on congestion is minimal. Any costs in doing this must be set against the benefits in terms of both tourist revenues and capital support for stone conservation of the historic buildings.

City Development Plan - The Spatial Context

The Dublin City Development Plan 1991 sets out a range of important principles relating to “proper planning and development” and the College Development Control Plan respects these principles. In particular locations, it may be impossible to contemplate any development; in other locations it may be possible to discuss particular proposals (e.g. in relation to the height of buildings) with the Planning Authority if efficient space utilisation and architectural merit can be proven. Another aspect of the City Development Plan that has been considered is that relating to public transport and traffic, as they affect communications, air quality and tourism. Proposals, such as those to relocate coach parking from Nassau Street to Merrion Square, could have a significant impact on the locations of congestion of pedestrian traffic in the College.

Approach of the Site Planning Committee

The Site Planning Committee (SPC) concentrated much of its energies on the College Green campus for two resons: firstly, its importance in terms of student and staff numbers, and secondly, its complexity in terms of the diversity of activities and the constraints of space. With regard to this campus, the SPC set out to conserve the historic buildings and to enhance the less ordered and less attractive East End areas of the campus. The SPC shared the view, expressed by the academic community, that Trinity should continue to develop primarily on the main campus, identifying certain activities (residencies, car-parking, campus companies) as being suitable for development on contiguous sites). Indeed the subsequent purchase of two sites on Pearse Street (currently referred to as the CIE and An Post sites) is very much in line with the views expressed by the academic community.

The SPC examined examined the existing buildings on the College Green campus, their utilisation rates and suitability to to present uses. This revealed that one of the most serious problems in the College was the unsuitability of certain places to their current uses, and the p`otential for reallocation of activities to achieve a better match over time.

In November 1993 the SPC commissioned a study of the potential capacity of the College Green Campus from Scott Tallon Walker (STW) and a draft master plan was completed in April 1994. In addition to  estimating the capacity of the site for development, STW proposed a particular development strategy for the College Green campus, which attempted to incorporate the planning principles developed by the SPC. Key features of this proposal were:

• the complete pedestrianisation of the College Green campus
• the building of a car park under the rugby pitch
• the southwards shift of the playing fields in College Park

The SPC received valuable feedback on this from across the College community and, consequently, the 1995 Development Control Plan differs significantly from the STW plan. It now incorporates the views of the SPC together with many suggestions made by members of the College during the consultative process.

The time-scale of the 1995 Development Control Plan is twenty years and beyond - designed to ensure the College is not short-sighted in its appraoch. The plan notes that it is particularly important for it to be reviewed after 10 years and that minor or short-term building projects do not pre-empt future developments of a substantial nature. The precise proposals in the plan covered projects currently underway and those envisaged within the following decade.

Planning Principles for the College Green Campus

The key development concepts which underlie the 1995 Development Control Plan are:

0. The connection of the East End and the West End of the campus, both visually and functionally.
0. Improvement of the architectural environment and the development of amenity areas at the East End of the campus and conservation of buildings and landscapes at the West End.
0. Improved distribution of activities across the campus
0. Removal of cars from the surface of the campus