Displaying items by tag: graving docks

4th April 2023

Waterways Ireland ‘Continues to Examine Options’ for Grand Canal Graving Docks Site, Heritage Minister Says

Waterways Ireland is “continuing to examine options” for the graving docks at Dublin’s Grand Canal Dock, according to the Minister for Heritage.

Responding to a recent written question from Dublin Bay South TD Chris Andrews regarding the graving docks and their intended future use, Minister Darragh O’Brien said the site, also known as City Block 19, “is designated within the North Lotts and Grand Canal Strategic Development Zone (SDZ) for residential, commercial and community development”.

He added: “Waterways Ireland is continuing to examine options including a potential disposal of the site. Should a disposal be progressed a minimum reserve price would be placed on the site reflecting a fair market value.”

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, plans to sell off the heritage graving docks in Ringsend have been mooted for more than two years.

The cross-border body for Ireland’s inland waterways confirmed in February 2021 that it was “considering a range of options” regarding the sale of the site, which is one of the last undeveloped land parcels of the Docklands Strategic Development Zone.

Published in Inland Waterways

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Waterways Ireland Confirms Plans to Sell Off Grand Canal Graving Docks

File image of Naomh Éanna at the heritage graving docks in Grand Canal Basin

The Irish Times reports that Waterways Ireland has confirmed plans to sell off the heritage graving docks at Dublin’s Grand Canal Dock.

The inland waterways authority says it is “currently considering a range of options” regarding the sale of the site, which is one of the last undeveloped land parcels of the Docklands Strategic Development Zone.

Dating from the 1790s, the dry docks have most recently hosted the base of operations for Viking Splash Tours — purchased last month by a Liverpool firm after facing liquidation amid continued pandemic restrictions — as well as the historic former Aran Islands ferry Naomh Éanna.

Four years ago, suggestions that Waterways Ireland had been planning to sell what’s regarded as a key piece of the canal basin’s Georgian architecture prompted a local activist group to appeal to the then Heritage Minister to intervene.

And campaigners have again expressed their dismay, claiming that Waterways Ireland has “reneged on previous assurances” that the docks would be restored for the benefit of the local community.

The Irish Times has more on the story HERE.

Published in Inland Waterways

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Future of Graving Docks in Limbo as Plot 8 is Transferred to NAMA

#INLAND WATERWAYS - The site of the former graving docks at Grand Canal Dock has been transferred to NAMA in a deal which frees the Dublin Docklands Development Authority (DDDA) from a €29 million plus bank guarantee.

Plot 8 at Sir John Rogerson's Quay is one of a suite of nine sites that have been transferred to the Government's 'bad bank' in a negotiated loan settlement that extricates the Docklands body from loan guarantees given by banks that financed the "disastrous" Dublin Glass Bottle site deal in 2006.

Sites handed over in the deal include the former 'U2 Tower' and the historic BJ Marine premises on the banks of the Liffey, as well as the aforementioned Dublin Glass Bottle site.

The Dublin branch of the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland (IWAI) had been hoping to embark on a restoration of the graving docks at Plot 8 to their former working order (a detailed history of the docks and restoration plans is available HERE).

This project had been given the blessing of the DDDA and Waterways Ireland, which owns the freehold lease on the site, with a view to its restoration helping to fund the Ulster Canal scheme.

However with the transfer of the DDDA's interest in the site to NAMA, the authority has now withdrawn permission for the IWAI to do any restoration work, leaving the future of the graving docks in limbo.

Published in Inland Waterways

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Offshore wind

ESB know the importance of offshore wind in tackling climate change and delivering net zero. Ireland has a unique capability given its prime location to take advantage of the potential of offshore wind. ESB are working hard to develop offshore wind projects for the benefit of everyone across society in Ireland and the UK. This includes ongoing engagement with marine users and local communities so ESB can deliver these significant projects.

Offshore wind will play a major role globally in our fight against climate change. It will help to replace energy generated by burning fossil fuels with that from a clean, safe and secure renewable energy source. Ireland’s geographic location on the exposed edge of the Atlantic presents us with a significant opportunity to generate electricity from wind – both offshore and onshore.

Power from onshore wind farms currently provide over one-third of Ireland’s electricity needs. But, whilst its marine area is many times the size of its landmass, Ireland’s offshore wind potential is only starting to be realised. ESB have a coastline stretching over 3,000km but only one operational offshore wind farm – Arklow Bank, with a capacity of 25 MW. In contrast, Belgium’s coastline is only 63km long, but it has already developed more than 2,000 MW of offshore wind. In Great Britain, with a coastline four times the length of ours, offshore wind generation now equates to over 440 Arklow Banks, with an installed capacity of 11,0000 MW as of late 2021.

The Irish Government's target to install 5,000 MW of offshore wind capacity in our maritime area by 2030 is set out in the Climate Action Plan 2021. It also has the objective to source 80% of Ireland’s electricity needs from renewables by the same year. In line with this, ESB is applying its professional and proven engineering expertise to the challenges set within the Climate Action Plan.

ESB are committed to playing a strong role in developing Ireland’s offshore wind potential for the benefit of the people of Ireland. This will be done in consultation with marine users and local communities, and with due care for the marine environment.