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State-owned transport operator CIÉ is advancing plans to unlock redevelopment potential at two of Dublin’s rail hubs, Heuston Station and Connolly Station, according to The Irish Times.
The focus will be on intensifying land use, improving the interchange and delivering new residential-led schemes in areas long identified as underutilised despite their strong connectivity.
At Heuston, regeneration will centre on the station’s extensive landholdings and its position at the western gateway to the city. Originally opened in 1846 as Kingsbridge Station, the site has historically functioned as a terminus rather than a fully integrated transport hub, a legacy that continues to shape its surrounds.
While the arrival of the Luas red line improved connectivity, the broader station environment remains fragmented, particularly around bus movements and pedestrian flows.
CIÉ’s plans reflect a wider shift towards transit-oriented development, with the potential to introduce a better interchange alongside new housing and mixed-use schemes. The scale of land around Heuston, including rail yards and adjacent plots, potentially presents one of the most significant regeneration opportunities in Dublin’s inner city.
At Connolly Station, CIÉ’s redevelopment ambitions are more focused on urban regeneration and intensification. Opened in 1844 and later renamed after Irish revolutionary James Connolly, the station sits at the intersection of the north inner city and the IFSC docklands area.
Despite the station's importance as a multimodal hub, linking rail, DART, Luas and bus services, the public realm around it has long been criticised for poor integration and underinvestment. CIÉ’s proposals aim to address this through upgraded interchange facilities and the redevelopment of surrounding land, with housing forming a central component.
CIÉ Chief Executive Stephen Kent told The Irish Times the group would soon present “concepts” to Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien for developments around Connolly Station and added that CIÉ was working with developers on the proposals, including for housing, and that there would also need to be discussions with Dublin City Council.
“The vista, both in the public realm and with the integration of buses with the trains, could be dramatically improved,” Kent said.
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