The proposed Metrolink station at St Stephen’s Green could seriously compromise and permanently alter one of the city’s most well-known cultural heritage areas and tranquil city havens, according to the Heritage Council. The government’s heritage consultant has informed An Bord Pleanála’s rail line hearing, a venture worth €9.5 billion, that it is worried that the value of the unique and irreplaceable cultural heritage asset of St Stephen’s Green is being overlooked in favour of construction efficiency.
Echoing the concerns of the Office of Public Works (OPW) and other heritage institutions, the Heritage Council voiced apprehensions about the station construction’s effect and its enduring impact post completion on the historical park. Last month, the OPW stated that the station’s construction should not compromise Ireland’s national heritage.
Shay Kelleher from the Heritage Council noted concerns about extensive excavation work and the irrevocable loss of mature trees – 64 in total – which would drastically alter the park’s character and its role as a buffer to the adjacent road network. Although Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has plans for “compensatory planting”, Mr Kelleher questioned the possibility of this historic treed landscape ever being truly restored.
The station’s construction would inevitably change the park’s natural and historical layout. As one of the few green spaces in the city centre, St Stephen’s Green’s cultural heritage value is beyond measure and irreplaceable. Mr Kelleher also highlighted the park’s historical position as a gift from the Guinness family to the city and its significance during the 1916 Rising.
Mr Kelleher concluded by noting that the current plans could put at risk one of the city’s most recognised cultural heritage sites. Thus, the Heritage Council strongly urges TII and An Bord Pleanála to prioritise heritage protection over construction or project management objectives.
In the opinion of the Heritage Council, it’s essential to construct a metro line for Dublin and it sees a requirement for a station in and around St Stephen’s Green. However, the council also strongly emphasises the necessity to preserve heritage and secure the national monument at St Stephen’s Green.
Dr Ronan Hallissey, speaking on behalf of TII, acknowledged the significance of St Stephen’s Green, evidenced by various stages of option assessments carried out to finalise the preferred station location. TII has endeavoured to bypass the green where feasible and, although done reluctantly, they have chosen a station box option which would impact around 5 percent of the park’s area during its construction phase. He assured that thorough analysis and various stages of consideration have been undertaken, taking into account all criteria.