An Bord Pleanala has granted planning permission for the redevelopment of Dublin's Tara Street Station.

Iarnórd Éireann will now press ahead with its plans to build a 50-metre skyscraper in the heart of the city.

Plans for the facility, which will include a 12-storey station as well as 13,000 square-metres of office space, were rejected last October, with Iarnórd Éireann told to scale back the building. Original plans included a 60-metre high building. These were rejected, however, with planners insisting that the scale of such a construction would impact negatively on the nearby Custom House.

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However, the redesigned plans have now been given the go-ahead and a 10-year planning permission has been granted. As a result, the building must be completed by 2020.

By making the decision, An Bord Pleanala overruled its own inspector, who had recommended that permission should be refused. The board said approval was based on the need to upgrade facilities at the city-centre railway station.

A spokesman for Iarnórd Éireann said: "The expansion of Tara Street Station is a crucial part of our development plans for the capacity of the rail network in the Greater Dublin area.

"While recognising the challenges of the current market situation, we are determined to progress these plans as soon as possible."

Tara Street Station is already one of the busiest in Ireland, with an estimated 25,000 passengers using it every day.

(NS/GK)