Hundreds of people gathered outside Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre in Dublin city centre on Saturday to voice their opposition to a proposed €100 million redesign of the iconic building, reports The Mirror.
The planned redevelopment, which was approved by Dublin City Council, would see the centre’s well-known white ironwork and glass facade replaced primarily with red brick.
The original building, which dates to the 1980s, has been the subject of two separate planning appeals since images of the proposed new exterior were made public, reports The Mirror.
Protesters carried signs bearing slogans including “Down with this sort of thing!”, “Save our heritage — stop the horror,” and “Keep your corporate slop out of our beautiful building.”
Crowds also chanted “Save Stephen’s Green” throughout the demonstration, reports The Mirror.
The organisers argued that the redevelopment would significantly alter the character of the area surrounding St Stephen’s Green and would destroy a building they described as holding real cultural and architectural value for Dubliners and visitors alike.
One protester described the proposed changes as “not what we want,” reports The Mirror.
The protest drew a mix of local residents, shoppers, and tourists, many of whom expressed bewilderment at the scale of the planned changes to one of the city’s most recognisable retail landmarks.
One local business owner, however, called for “progress” and suggested that modernising the building could bring long-term benefits to the area, reports The Mirror.
The redevelopment project remains the subject of ongoing planning appeals, reports The Mirror.
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