Improved pedestrian areas and the space for regular markets or outdoor seating would help to transform Meath Street

A Fresh Look for Meath Street

Work is ongoing to redesign the public realm of one of the area's most iconic streets

21.01.21

Business, Life

Dublin City Council is currently undertaking design work for new public realm on Meath Street. The project is the latest in a series of public realm projects to transform streets and spaces in The Liberties.

The Meath Street Public Realm Project was initiated in 2018 and the early process included public meetings with businesses and residents of the area to tease out the issues of concern with the street and gain feedback for solutions around traffic management, parking, the look of the street and the potential new uses that might be encouraged. That led to a concept plan for the street, which was completed in summer 2019, incorporating the ideas gain from the community as well as some of the wider policy objectives for the street. Among the features of the concept plan were:

  • providing wider pavements along Meath Street allowing for greater pedestrian priority and a wider range of street uses
  • formalising market activity on Meath Street and providing infrastructure for a regular street market
  • adding planting and landscaping and making provision for street furniture
  • rebalancing traffic, parking and loading to create a more people-centric street
  • measures to spur wider improvement of the streetscape, shopfronts and businesses
Improved pedestrian areas and the space for regular markets or outdoor seating would help to transform Meath Street

The project reached its next milestone in summer 2020 when a design lead was appointed to develop the concept into a firmer preliminary design that could be submitted for Part 8 planning approval (the process where councillors make decisions on projects initiated by the City Council).

Haslem & Co Architects were engaged to develop the preliminary design in tandem with Dublin City Council Roads Design Section. This process has been ongoing in recent months and has included work such as surveying the street and working through issues of traffic management, drainage and services, utilities, landscaping potential and conservation and archaeological constraints.

The design team is now working to bring a formal proposal for the street to city councillors and the public later in the year. In advance of this, an informal consultation is planned with local businesses and residents to gain their views on the development proposals to ensure that the final design is as reflective as possible of the public’s views. Details of this informal consultation will be announced and advertised in the next month or so. The public are also invited to make formal submissions on the plans at the Part 8 stage.

A concept for Meath Street showing how widened pavements and an upgraded streetscape might look.

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