2022 Planning Application affecting Dublin Real Tennis Court

October, 2022 – April, 2024

Current status, April 2024

An Bord Pleanála issued its decision on 27 March 2024, granting permission subject to a number of conditions. Of relevant to the Real Tennis Court is Condition 2, which states:

With regard to the Real Tennis Building, prior to the commencement of development, the developer shall:

(a) engage the input of a Real Tennis specialist in the Design Team to ensure that all of the key features are designed in accordance with all relevant Real Tennis Guidelines, and that no improvement works, including the design of the penthouses, wall and floor surfaces, services and additional or widened openings, will interfere with the use of the Real Tennis Court for Real Tennis;

(b) submit detailed design proposals for demountable penthouse galleries and any other essential features required for playing Real Tennis matches. The demountable structures shall be robust and durable and designed in a manner which allows for efficient on-site assembly, dismantling and storage;

(c) submit a detailed strategy for temporary exhibitions/other uses to include protection measures for the floors and walls, and details of any demountable panels within the penthouses to facilitate additional access into the Real Tennis Court play area; and

(d) submit details of information boards providing a brief history and rules of the game of Real Tennis and its association with the Real Tennis Building including its original purpose to be displayed in the building in prominent locations.

We have written to the Office of Public Works and the National Children’s Science Centre to offer assistance in identifying a suitable Real Tennis specialist to sit on their Design Team.

We are grateful for the long-standing support of the international real tennis community throughout this process, and hope that we will one day be able to welcome players onto the Dublin court.

An Bord Pleanála Documents

History

In 2016, Ireland’s Office of Public Works submitted a planning application for a Science Museum to include use of Dublin’s historic Real Tennis Court for temporary exhibitions. As a result of the IRTA's engagement with the planning process, and that of the international real tennis community, built heritage conservation organisations, and others, a condition was attached to the resulting permission which provided that “The developer shall submit a detailed proposal to the planning authority for the temporary reinstatement of the penthouse galleries and any other essential features required for playing Real Tennis matches.” For various reasons, work did not start on the project, and permission lapsed in late 2021.

In September 2022, the Office of Public Works submitted a fresh application for essentially the same project; in the new application it claims to have addressed the above condition. The application explicitly states that “The Real Tennis Court building will be refurbished including the restoration of the tennis court (to a playable condition), and to facilitate space for temporary displays and exhibitions”. The IRTA has a number of concerns as to the details of how the plans have interpreted “playable condition”, but on the whole this proposal gives us hope that Dublin’s real tennis court will become playable once more. The issue of access to the court is separate.

The IRTA made an observation on this application, emphasising the various structural requirements for the court to be truly restored to “playable condition”.

Decision

In a decision dated 23 Nov 2022, Dublin City Council granted permission subject to a number of conditions, including in relation to the Real Tennis Court. Its decision notice is available here.

The IRTA engaged Cunnane Stratton Reynolds to submit an appeal relating to this decision. A decision from An Bord Pleanála was expected by 28th April 2023. However, on that date, we received a notice from An Bord Pleanála informing us that, “due to a backlog of cases”, the Board was not able to determine the case by that date.

An Bord Pleanála's decision was issued in March 2024.