Property investment firm Iput has been given the go-ahead to demolish an office building on Dublin’s Lower Mount Street and replace it with a five-storey scheme in a multi-million euro project. Existing tenants at the building include the Revenue Commissioners.

The scheme – which was opposed by residents of an adjacent apartment scheme – will see a new building with a gross floor area of almost 13,000 sq m.

The existing building was constructed in the 1970s.

Dublin City Council had approved the plans, with conditions, last November.

But the decision was appealed by residents of the Madison Court apartments. They claimed that the project would constitute over development and that for the past 40 years they’ve had access via the site to nine carparking spaces. They said the development would see that access terminated.

The residents also claimed that the Iput development would seriously injure the apartment scheme’s communal amenity space.

“The availability of the communal amenity space is critical from an amenity perspective for the residents because the levels of private amenity space for the Madison Court apartments is deficient,” the residents insisted.

But the senior An Bord Pleanála inspector said the planned demolition of the existing offices and the construction of a new premises is acceptable.

“It allows for achievement of contemporary standards for construction, use, energy efficiency, intensification of occupancy according to current standards and requirements of current day technologies,” she said.

“The proposal accords with national and local strategic policy for providing consolidation of the city and development on underutilised and vacant sites,” she added.

The inspector noted that the proposals are “consistent with the zoning objective” for the area.

“It is agreed with the planning officer that the proposed building, notwithstanding the increased size and height relative to the existing structure would represent a positive insertion into the streetscape along Mount Street of uncomplicated contemporary design and rhythm incorporating contrasting but complementary material and finishes and setbacks,” added the planning inspector.

Iput, whose CEO is Niall Gaffney, recently paid more than €25m to buy 64 acres of land close to Dublin Airport. It plans to develop the site as a logistics hub for large retailers.