Friday 19 January 2007

Planning hearing over Ikea welcomed

Paul Melia in the Indo' tells us that AN BORD Pleanala is to hold a public hearing on plans to open an Ikea store in Dublin.
The move comes after six parties objected to Fingal County Council granting planning permission for the 30,000 sq m store last October, with 14 of the 32 planning conditions relating to transport and traffic and concerns the store would cause congestion in the Ballymun area. The hearing is expected in March.
"I welcome the oral hearing as it will allow a public forum where the planning and development issues involved can be addressed," Transport spokesman Eamon Ryan TD - one of the objectors - said.
Traffic
"Our concern all along has not been the introduction of an Ikea store, but the traffic and gridlock that has developed on the back of bad planning policies.
"A hearing will allow Ikea to make its case and it's difficult to see how they will answer the criticisms raised by the NRA that this project will bring further traffic to the already congested M50 motorway," he said. Other objectors to the planning permission include Treasury Holdings and the National Roads Authority. The case was due to be decided by early March, but will be deferred pending the public hearing.

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