PUNTERS searching for a pint in the capital can soon get one at Google’s pub.
The search engine giant has been given the all clear to build a boozer at its Boland’s Mill complex in Grand Canal Dock despite strong objections, including around people peeing in the street.
Dublin City Council has granted planning permission to an Irish subsidiary of the US multinational for the change of use at a unit in the complex.
The firm plans to convert Unit 3 in Building B on the Google campus into a pub which is within a protected structure in the Flour Mill at Boland’s Quay from its current permitted use as a retail/café/ restaurant unit.
No physical changes are proposed to the structure of the building as a result of the conversion of the unit into a pub.
Google said the development of the overall building was nearing completion and it wanted all available ground floor uses to be occupied once the full building is opened and operational.
The consultants claimed the development of a pub would “assist in enhancing the vitality and attractiveness of the overall scheme as a destination for visitors as well as local residents”.
Google acquired three landmark buildings that form part of the 19th century Boland’s Mill in 2018 for a reported €300 million.
A group of residents living in nearby Barrow Street had complained that the development of a pub at the location would create noise and disruption at closing time as well as safety risks which increased traffic would pose particularly to young children.
Calling for planning permission to be refused for the proposed change of use, the seven residents said they were “very concerned”.
They claimed they were “effectively living on Google’s campus” due to recent developments with ongoing street enhancements.
The residents said they had already suffered from a vast reduction of on-street parking in the area due to recent developments by Google Ireland and said the problem with people urinating outside homes on Barrow Street would intensify as a result of a pub being permitted in the Google building.
The grant of planning permission may still be the subject of an appeal to An Bord Pleanala.