Dublin Skyline Poll Goes Online

There's a high-tech approach being adopted from today to gauge the public's view on proposed Dublin 'skyscrapers'.

As taller building projects were given professional backing in the North - with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors supporting such high-rises as having an "essential role in reducing Northern Ireland's carbon footprint" a new website went live today for the public to have their say specifically on keeping high-rise buildings off the Dublin skyline.

The site has posted a seven-year development plan online including efforts to get 15% of people coming into Dublin city centre to use bikes.

Michael Stubbs, Assistant City Manager, said the aim is to let as many people as possible see the draft vision for Dublin.

"We want to hear how people think we can best balance the needs of a growing, dynamic city with the need to protect and conserve the elements that give the city its identity," he said.

However, the plan insists that Dublin is a 'low-rise city' and should remain so while high rise buildings should only be considered in areas such as the western outskirts and the docklands.

"We want to create a shared vision of success, with an emphasis on employment, community engagement and open governance," Mr Stubbs said.

"We hope as many people as possible will look at the draft plan for their neighbourhood and give us their views on how it should develop over the coming years.

"The new city development plan will keep us on track to making Dublin a capital city where people will continue to choose to live and work and visit," he concluded.

The website www.dublincitydevelopmentplan.ie is live until March 12 and hosts videos of how the city will grow and forums for people to give their views.

The council said the vision for Dublin up to 2017 aims to create a compact and green, well-connected city with a resilient economy.

North of the border, the Stormont Environment Minister, Edwin Poots, recently revealed that his department would soon publish a new policy on tall buildings in Belfast.

However, RICS Northern Ireland Director, Ben Collins, said that living in urban centres improves sustainability and that quality mixed use developments with high density are the answer.

"We welcome the Minister's comments in relation to the need for higher density development in Belfast and the need for clear guidelines for planners and developers in relations to taller buildings," said Mr Collins - clearly coming down firmly on the side of high-rise above traditional developments.

(BMcC)