Newmarket View
Dublib City Council's ambitious reimagining of Newmarket

Ambitious Redesign of Newmarket Proposed

22.02.17

Business, Life, Love The Liberties

Dublin City Council has announced an ambitious redesign of Newmarket, the historic marketplace located off Cork Street in Dublin 8. A planning application has been submitted for a phased programme of works to reimagine the central market space as well as a number of adjoining streets and approaches, and to create a high-quality destination in The Liberties.

Newmarket has been the focus of an unprecedented amount of development in recent times. Vibrant markets were the first to bring life back to what has become a forgotten corner of the city – the Dublin Food Coop, The Green Door Market and the monthly Dublin Flea have all thrived here and helped to revitalise the space. The opening of the Teeling Distillery “>Teeling Distillery in June 2015 heralded the start of the latest phase of its regeneration, and its been quickly followed by new development on Mill Street including GSA’s ‘New Mill’ student housing (which also includes offices and retail as well as a restored No 10 Mill Street) and the underdevelopment ‘Aloft’ Hotel at Blackpitts.

However, the area is set for further dramatic change. A second student housing development is planned on Blackpitts, a nursing home completes the development on Mill Street, while an ambitious mixed use redevelopment of various sites around Newmarket itself is close to being unveiled. It is thought this will include a hotel, apartments, offices, new shops and cafes and visitor attractions.

Designed in collaboration with Urban Agency Architects, the City Council’s Newmarket and Environs public realm scheme proposes to create a central marketplace and refurbish adjoining streets to a standard that complements these new uses. The scheme has three elements:

The Universal Square: this is the main central area of Newmarket and the focus for occasional current outdoor markets. The scheme will see carparking removed from this area and an attractive paved area laid that will support cultural and market activities.

The Cultural Square: this eastern end of Newmarket will be paved and a new café developed reusing the defunct substation. A Dublinbikes station could be located here. The space will link into the grounds of nearby St Luke’s Church, a ruined building currently undergoing adaptive restoration.

Newmarket West: the western end of the square will be set out for bus stops, car parking and greening features. The green link will be further developed on Chamber Street leading to the new Weaver Park.

The scheme envisaged major traffic changes to the area, reduced car parking, greater levels of pedestrian space, facilities for Dublinbikes and cycle parking and improved lighting.

What happens next?

The project is now subject to a planning application process known as a Part 8. Submissions from the public are invited until 20th April 2017. After that, a decision to approve the scheme will be made by councillors.

The entire scheme is estimated to costs between €3m – €4m. Capital funding will be sought once planning is approved. It is likely the project will be undertaken in phases and over a number of years, with elements completed as surrounding property is itself redeveloped.

However, clearly change is coming to the area. With constriction work commenced, Weaver Park is set to open later this year. The redevelopment of St Luke’s, including a new public garden on St Luke’s Avenue and a restored graveyard off Newmarket is due for completion at the end of the year. March will see the unveiling of No 10 Mill Street – one of the area’s most historic properties, at various times the dowager house of the Earl’s of Meath, a school and a Methodist mission hall. The restored property is set to be stylish offices. Meanwhile, New Mill student housing itself will be largely completed in June ahead of opening for almost 400 students in September.

Big changes are happening in Newmarket, Dublin 8!

View the Part 8 Planning Application for Newmarket here.

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