Gormley’s Liffey sculpture gets 10 year planning permission

The Irish Times reports that Antony Gormley’s Dublin Docklands vision has been granted planning permission by An Bord Pleanála. There is a caveat. Permission has only been granted for the 46.2m high steel-lattice figure for 10 years, after which further planning permission will be required if it is to stay in place. Which might be suitably cautious.. or it might risk running into the same problem of Another Place.. From the Irish Times report

“The condition, highly unusual in relation to sculptures or statues, is frequently used in relation to quarries or mobile phone masts, on the basis that technology or the surrounding physical conditions may change over a 10-year period, making the structure inappropriate or obsolete. In relation to the Liffey sculpture, the 10-year limit is being imposed to allow the impact of such a tall structure to be reassessed, and to see if it continues to fit in with its surroundings.”

Update Dublin Docklands Authority says, Thanks, but.. “given the current economic environment, the Docklands Authority will not be proceeding with this development.”

Pete Baker