New Public Parks involving landscaping and associated construction works at former St. Luke's Church (Protected Structure) and graveyards, The Coombe, Dublin 8

Description

Saint Luke's Church dates to 1716 and has been derelict since 1986. Dublin City Council took possession of the church and its associated graveyards in 1991. DCC published the Saint Luke's Conservation Plan in 2005. Planning permission was granted in 2010 to Saint Luke's Partnership for the restoration of the church as offices. The work to conserve the church commenced in October 2016. DCC now intends developing a design scheme for the graveyard of Saint Luke's Church which is divided into the North and South graveyards. The South Graveyard The south graveyard will be recovered from dereliction and made accessible through managed access. A layered approach to the landscape design, in which the existing archaeological (burials and grave markers) and ecological features (Hawthorn and Holly trees) are retained, guides the design of the new interventions. The existing archaeology and ecological features will be presented within areas of new planting, around which pathways will ensure access throughout. Ecological planting zones as Green Schools resource and amenity for neighbouring schools. A series of pathways through the graveyard provide access to the various zones of the graveyard and to the building. The North Graveyard (the Pocket Park) To the North, a new, public city park will be created. This will include public seating throughout the park including three large specimen trees and linear plantings to frame and enclose the church; and, a new controlled pedestrian connection from north to south, all of which is intended to recover the setting for St. Luke’s and avoid disturbance of burials. A stone and polished concrete boundary wall will enclose the north graveyard/park from the street, which drops to incorporate metal railings. Sliding metal gates will be incorporated within the boundary wall, toward the NW corner of the site. Within this boundary, a combination of ramps and steps will provide access to the park.