#urbanbeach – Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company (DLHC) has welcomed the award of planning permission for its proposal for a floating swimming pool and urban beach at the historic East Pier of the Harbour. Permission was granted by Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council in recent days.
The project has been inspired by the popular Badeschiff facility in Berlin, a floating swimming pool on the River Spree. The plan for Dún Laoghaire Harbour includes a floating swimming pool containing heated and treated seawater, utilising a converted river barge which will be located within the Harbour. The facility will include an Urban Beach alongside the floating structure, on Berth 1 adjacent to the East Pier. Changing and toilet facilities, a café, an administration area, and security features are also planned.
The Harbour Company estimates that urban beach has the potential to attract 140,000 visitors per annum and to generate over €1 million per annum for the local economy.
Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company hopes to be in a position to open the facility for the summer season in 2016.
According to Gerry Dunne, CEO of DLHC: "The granting of planning permission by Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council is very welcome, and marks a vital step in realising the full potential of the Harbour as a marine, leisure and tourist destination of international calibre."
"Further to extensive consultation, Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company published a very exciting Masterplan in 2011. The urban beach, coupled with plans for enhanced cruise berthing facilities and the development of a world-class diaspora centre, formed the corner-stone of this plan. The ambitions for the Harbour are very much in-keeping with the Government's National Ports Policy to designate Dún Laoghaire as a harbour focusing on marine leisure, marine tourism, and urban development. Therefore, we are delighted to receive planning permission for the beach allows us to follow through on our mandate."
In recent months, Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company has had great success in marketing the Harbour as a destination for cruise calls. In 2015, it is estimated that Dun Laoghaire will attract c100, 000 cruise passengers and crew. A planning application under the Strategic Infrastructure Development Act for a new cruise berth for 'next generation' cruise ship is expected to be submitted in the coming weeks to An Bord Pleanála