THE amount of waste being disposed of at landfill continues to increase in the face of an EU directive on reduction.
This country runs the risk of breaking EU environmental targets following an EPA report that shows biodegradable municipal waste has risen by 15% and the quantity of municipal waste is up by 11% on the previous year.
The collection of 7.4kg of waste electrical and electronic equipment per capita is almost double the EU target of 4kg per capita, the National Waste Report 2006 shows.
Construction and demolition waste accounts for 55% of all waste and stands at almost 17 million tonnes.
“This report shows that the amount of waste going to landfill is increasing, not decreasing as we would have expected if Ireland is to meet its EU commitment to landfill less than one million tonnes of biodegradable municipal waste by 2010,” said deputy director general of the EPA Dr Padraic Larkin.
“The EPA is calling for urgent action to reverse this trend. There are several policy instruments that could turn the tide within one to two years. These include increasing the landfill levy and banning the landfilling of untreated waste.
“This problem must be tackled in 2008,” said Mr Larkin.
The report shows that the quantity of waste being recycled continues to rise with recycled municipal waste up by 18%; recycled household waste up by 14% and recycled packaging waste up by 8%.
The quantity of municipal waste sent to landfill increased by 8%. Urgent action is required to reverse this trend if Ireland is to have any chance of meeting the landfill diversion targets for 2010 set by the Landfill Directive.
Despite the increases in the actual quantity of waste recycled, the rate of municipal waste recycling only increased from 34% in 2005 to 36% in 2006.
The recycling rate for household waste remained at 22% in the same period despite the roll-out in all parts of the country of two-bin and three-bin systems for household waste collection and the large-scale use of bring banks, where 14% more waste was deposited in 2006, and civic amenity sites, where 84% more waste was deposited in 2006.
Dr Gerry Byrne, EPA programme manager, said: “Overall, there is very good progress to report on the recycling front. Householders and businesses are willing to recycle once they are given the appropriate incentives and services.
“Significant problems remain with regard to waste disposal. Urgent action is required in 2008 to divert waste from landfill and prevent further increases in waste generation,” said Dr Byrne.
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
Wednesday, 30 January 2008
Housing quarter planned for Slane
A new housing quarter for up to 1,500 people and the establishment of a country park are among the proposals in a new plan for the historic village of Slane, Co Meath.
The plan, which was presented to locals at a meeting last night, envisages the restoration of the Boyne Valley canal allowing the village to be linked with nearby Newgrange, and the creation of a local museum in the town.
Elsewhere, it suggests that a computer link could be established with the Newgrange interpretive centre, allowing tourists to avail of a shuttle bus service to the Newgrange monument.
The "village design statement", which was undertaken on behalf of the Slane Community Forum by Prof Philip Geoghegan of UCD, calls for a number of derelict or neglected buildings in the town to be the subject of conservation works.
Commenting on the proposals, Prof Geoghegan said high traffic volumes were destroying "the fabric of the village".
"It is astonishing that the N2 still goes through one of the most remarkable crossroads in Ireland," he said.
"While the fact that a bypass has been proposed is welcome, there is a need for a commitment to a timetable.
"It amazes me that in the absence of the bypass, there haven't been any measures introduced to restrict the access of heavy traffic to Slane."
Any development of a new quarter would be aimed at "invigorating" the village and should not lead simply to the creation of a commuter village, Prof Geoghegan said.
Slane Community Forum is a collection of community groups, clubs and associations set up to address what locals say is a serious decline in the numbers of visitors to the village, and the closure of a number of shops and businesses.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
The plan, which was presented to locals at a meeting last night, envisages the restoration of the Boyne Valley canal allowing the village to be linked with nearby Newgrange, and the creation of a local museum in the town.
Elsewhere, it suggests that a computer link could be established with the Newgrange interpretive centre, allowing tourists to avail of a shuttle bus service to the Newgrange monument.
The "village design statement", which was undertaken on behalf of the Slane Community Forum by Prof Philip Geoghegan of UCD, calls for a number of derelict or neglected buildings in the town to be the subject of conservation works.
Commenting on the proposals, Prof Geoghegan said high traffic volumes were destroying "the fabric of the village".
"It is astonishing that the N2 still goes through one of the most remarkable crossroads in Ireland," he said.
"While the fact that a bypass has been proposed is welcome, there is a need for a commitment to a timetable.
"It amazes me that in the absence of the bypass, there haven't been any measures introduced to restrict the access of heavy traffic to Slane."
Any development of a new quarter would be aimed at "invigorating" the village and should not lead simply to the creation of a commuter village, Prof Geoghegan said.
Slane Community Forum is a collection of community groups, clubs and associations set up to address what locals say is a serious decline in the numbers of visitors to the village, and the closure of a number of shops and businesses.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Traffic concerns over planfor Cork container facility
A senior council planner has expressed concern that the proposed move by the Port of Cork of its container terminal from Tivoli to Ringaskiddy farther down Cork Harbour should not take place before a major upgrading of the road network.
Cork County Council acting senior planner Noel Sheridan raised the issue of upgrading the N28 for extra container traffic to Ringaskiddy in a report prepared for Cork county manager Martin Riordan, presented to this week's council meeting.
The proposal to transfer the container terminal from Tivoli in the upper reaches of Cork Harbour to the Oyster Bank in Ringaskiddy is part of a €160 million plan to transfer all Port of Cork operations downstream.
In his report Mr Sheridan said the planned move was consistent with strategic planning for the Cork region, and the land use and zoning objectives for land at Ringaskiddy.
However, he said the development should not become operational without the planned upgrading of the N28 to dual-carriageway status to take the extra traffic.
The Port of Cork has applied to An Bord Pleanála to relocate its container terminal and its roll-on, roll-off facility from Tivoli downstream to Ringaskiddy.
The new facility will cover 37 hectares, including 18 hectares of reclaimed land. It will involve the dredging of the sea bed to a depth of 13.5m, the creation of almost 800m of quay wall, and the installation of container cranes 80m high.
According to figures provided by the Port of Cork, the port has the second largest volume of trade in the Republic. The move is necessary as Tivoli has limited capacity, which is likely to be reached by 2010/2011.
Among the constraints at Tivoli are limited vessel size and vessel numbers, tidal restrictions on larger vessels, poor road access and a trend towards bigger container vessels which Tivoli cannot handle.
The master plan for the Port of Cork envisages the full development of all port activities at Ringaskiddy by 2026. However, this would see a major increase in heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), which would rise from 15 per cent of traffic in 2011 to 53 per cent by 2026.
Mr Sheridan said the traffic volumes were such that upgrading the N28 to dual-carriageway was required, which would also bypass Ringaskiddy and Shanbally.
He noted that the National Roads Authority (NRA) had given no timescale for such upgrading.
"It would not be logical to allow the port development proceed without certainty that the planned upgrade of the N28 will take place," said Mr Sheridan, adding that an environmental impact study (EIS) submitted by the Port of Cork noted the possibility even after upgrading of delays at the Jack Lynch Tunnel.
The Port of Cork has plans to make Ringaskiddy a European hub port with the capacity to handle 600,000 to 800,000 containers. However, the proposal has met with opposition from local residents and a number of groups in the lower harbour area.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Cork County Council acting senior planner Noel Sheridan raised the issue of upgrading the N28 for extra container traffic to Ringaskiddy in a report prepared for Cork county manager Martin Riordan, presented to this week's council meeting.
The proposal to transfer the container terminal from Tivoli in the upper reaches of Cork Harbour to the Oyster Bank in Ringaskiddy is part of a €160 million plan to transfer all Port of Cork operations downstream.
In his report Mr Sheridan said the planned move was consistent with strategic planning for the Cork region, and the land use and zoning objectives for land at Ringaskiddy.
However, he said the development should not become operational without the planned upgrading of the N28 to dual-carriageway status to take the extra traffic.
The Port of Cork has applied to An Bord Pleanála to relocate its container terminal and its roll-on, roll-off facility from Tivoli downstream to Ringaskiddy.
The new facility will cover 37 hectares, including 18 hectares of reclaimed land. It will involve the dredging of the sea bed to a depth of 13.5m, the creation of almost 800m of quay wall, and the installation of container cranes 80m high.
According to figures provided by the Port of Cork, the port has the second largest volume of trade in the Republic. The move is necessary as Tivoli has limited capacity, which is likely to be reached by 2010/2011.
Among the constraints at Tivoli are limited vessel size and vessel numbers, tidal restrictions on larger vessels, poor road access and a trend towards bigger container vessels which Tivoli cannot handle.
The master plan for the Port of Cork envisages the full development of all port activities at Ringaskiddy by 2026. However, this would see a major increase in heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), which would rise from 15 per cent of traffic in 2011 to 53 per cent by 2026.
Mr Sheridan said the traffic volumes were such that upgrading the N28 to dual-carriageway was required, which would also bypass Ringaskiddy and Shanbally.
He noted that the National Roads Authority (NRA) had given no timescale for such upgrading.
"It would not be logical to allow the port development proceed without certainty that the planned upgrade of the N28 will take place," said Mr Sheridan, adding that an environmental impact study (EIS) submitted by the Port of Cork noted the possibility even after upgrading of delays at the Jack Lynch Tunnel.
The Port of Cork has plans to make Ringaskiddy a European hub port with the capacity to handle 600,000 to 800,000 containers. However, the proposal has met with opposition from local residents and a number of groups in the lower harbour area.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Roads funding needs to be diverted to pay for public transport, and inner Dublin's "miserable" one-way street system must be overhauled, Minister for
Resident associations want infrastructure work carried out in the villages of Tarbert and Ballylongford, including safety measures near schools, to deal with traffic from the construction of a liquified natural gas terminal on the Shannon estuary in Co Kerry.
The seventh day of an oral hearing into the project in a Tralee hotel heard how at its peak 650 people will be working on the €500 million project during the four years of construction. It will supply 40 per cent of the country's natural gas needs.
Kerry County Council's director of forward planning Tom Sheehy said the council was asking An Bord Pleanála to impose a condition on the developer of €7.2 million to supply water to the site, for specialist fire-fighting equipment and for training before the terminal is built. The council is also asking that a bond of €5 million be lodged to ensure completion of such work. It has also seeking an annual contribution of €200,000 from the developer to the local community.
However, Kilcolgan residents yesterday said the bond figure was not enough, and more money was needed to address the construction problems.They said the village of Ballylongford was not designed to deal with the huge increase in construction traffic.
Some landowners have also said the exact route of the 25km pipeline from the plant to the national gas network should have been published in tandem with the terminal application.
The hearing continues.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
The seventh day of an oral hearing into the project in a Tralee hotel heard how at its peak 650 people will be working on the €500 million project during the four years of construction. It will supply 40 per cent of the country's natural gas needs.
Kerry County Council's director of forward planning Tom Sheehy said the council was asking An Bord Pleanála to impose a condition on the developer of €7.2 million to supply water to the site, for specialist fire-fighting equipment and for training before the terminal is built. The council is also asking that a bond of €5 million be lodged to ensure completion of such work. It has also seeking an annual contribution of €200,000 from the developer to the local community.
However, Kilcolgan residents yesterday said the bond figure was not enough, and more money was needed to address the construction problems.They said the village of Ballylongford was not designed to deal with the huge increase in construction traffic.
Some landowners have also said the exact route of the 25km pipeline from the plant to the national gas network should have been published in tandem with the terminal application.
The hearing continues.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Road funds should go to public transport - Ryan
Roads funding needs to be diverted to pay for public transport, and inner Dublin's "miserable" one-way street system must be overhauled, Minister for Natural Resources Eamon Ryan told a Dublin audience last night.
The Green Minister also said that Ireland needs a carbon tax to meet its obligations to reduce greenhouse gases.
"I think we do need to put a price on carbon," Mr Ryan told an audience of several hundred people last night.
The Minister was speaking alongside politicians from all the major political parties at an event organised by lobby group People Against Climate Change.
Ireland is obliged to reduce its carbon emissions from 70 million tonnes per year to 48 million by 2020 - a 3 per cent drop every year. At the moment the State's carbon output is growing, not shrinking.
Mr Ryan had several practical measures for stemming the flow: "We have to switch over road programmes into public transport programmes that deliver. We need to get rid of our totally unintelligent system. Talking about Dublin, we should change the one-way system that really does make Dublin a miserable place for pedestrians and cyclists."
Ireland's planning system also needs to be overhauled, the Minister aid. "This disparate form of population growth is not working. We need a much more compact, high-quality urban planning system."
Debates about the impact of climate change have become redundant, he said. "There hasn't been a single frost this winter. Irish people can see it for themselves," said Mr Ryan.
Other politicians at last night's event also spoke of specific measures to reduce the State's carbon output. PD Senator Fiona O'Malley said that university research laboratories need to work arm-in-arm with businesses to develop more environmentally friendly ways of operating.
She said an outer-urban bus system in Dublin should operate separately from an inner service, meaning commuters would catch two buses to get to work. Fine Gael's Simon Coveney called for the end of peat-burning power plants. "It's a filthy fuel source," he said. Sinn Féin's Bairbre de Brún said Ireland's car dependency needed to be broken, and said that people who take two overseas holidays a year don't realise how much their lifestyle is damaging the environment.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
The Green Minister also said that Ireland needs a carbon tax to meet its obligations to reduce greenhouse gases.
"I think we do need to put a price on carbon," Mr Ryan told an audience of several hundred people last night.
The Minister was speaking alongside politicians from all the major political parties at an event organised by lobby group People Against Climate Change.
Ireland is obliged to reduce its carbon emissions from 70 million tonnes per year to 48 million by 2020 - a 3 per cent drop every year. At the moment the State's carbon output is growing, not shrinking.
Mr Ryan had several practical measures for stemming the flow: "We have to switch over road programmes into public transport programmes that deliver. We need to get rid of our totally unintelligent system. Talking about Dublin, we should change the one-way system that really does make Dublin a miserable place for pedestrians and cyclists."
Ireland's planning system also needs to be overhauled, the Minister aid. "This disparate form of population growth is not working. We need a much more compact, high-quality urban planning system."
Debates about the impact of climate change have become redundant, he said. "There hasn't been a single frost this winter. Irish people can see it for themselves," said Mr Ryan.
Other politicians at last night's event also spoke of specific measures to reduce the State's carbon output. PD Senator Fiona O'Malley said that university research laboratories need to work arm-in-arm with businesses to develop more environmentally friendly ways of operating.
She said an outer-urban bus system in Dublin should operate separately from an inner service, meaning commuters would catch two buses to get to work. Fine Gael's Simon Coveney called for the end of peat-burning power plants. "It's a filthy fuel source," he said. Sinn Féin's Bairbre de Brún said Ireland's car dependency needed to be broken, and said that people who take two overseas holidays a year don't realise how much their lifestyle is damaging the environment.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
EU fines warning if landfill waste not reduced
Ireland is to face fresh EU environmental sanctions within two years if it does not dramatically reduce the amount of biodegradable waste being dumped in landfill sites.
That is according to the Environmental Protection Agency, which claims the Government is in "significant danger" of missing its EU targets for diverting recyclable waste from landfill.
In a new report, the environment watchdog also says the amount of biodegradable waste going to landfill is increasing despite a national commitment to recycling.
Minister for the Environment John Gormley last night admitted national waste policies were not working.
He said his waste policy review, which he announced in response to the granting of planning permission for the Poolbeg incinerator last November, and which he has said will demonstrate that large-scale incineration is unviable, will also focus on the landfill problem.
Almost 50 per cent more biodegradable waste, including food and garden waste, paper, cardboard, wood and textiles, is being sent to landfill than the target level for 2010. The EPA's National Waste Report 2006 found that the amount of biodegradable waste dumped increased by 9 per cent to 1.4 million tonnes, while the 2010 target is 967,000 tonnes.
Under the 1999 EU landfill directive, Ireland will be fined if it fails to meet the target. The directive also requires Ireland to put in place a biodegradable waste strategy to meet the target. Ireland published this strategy in 2006, but must now implement it as a matter of urgency, the EPA said.
"This report shows that the amount of waste going to landfill is increasing, not decreasing as we would have expected if Ireland is to meet its EU commitment to landfill less than one million tonnes of biodegradable municipal waste by 2010. The EPA is calling for urgent action to reverse this trend," deputy EPA director Dr Padraic Larkin said.
The Government could meet the target, Dr Larkin said, if it was prepared to take measures such as banning untreated waste in landfills and increasing landfill levies.
Mr Gormley last night promised that these levies would be increased.
"It is clear that landfill has become more attractive as gate fees have fallen and this has happened at a time when Ireland needs to be making more progress towards diverting material, particularly biodegradable waste, away from landfill. I propose, therefore, to introduce an increase in the landfill levy at the earliest opportunity to encourage recycling."
The increasing quantity of waste going to landfill was keeping recycling rates lower than they should be, the EPA said. The recycling rate for household waste was static at 22 per cent in 2006 despite the introduction "in all parts of the country" the EPA said, of green and brown bins and recycling bring banks.
However, Mr Gormley said the roll-out of recycling bins by local authorities and the private sector was insufficient.
"To date, only a limited number of households have had brown bin collection services but I want to see all those engaged in waste collection - both public and private sector operators - accelerate their plans for the provision of segregated collections for organic waste."
Prevention of waste was the key to reducing landfill volumes, the EPA said. Despite significant increases in the quantity of packaging waste recycled, the rate of packaging waste recycling actually decreased from 59 per cent in 2005 to 57 per cent in 2006.
Mr Gormley said he was confident that the waste review would bring about the required landfill reductions.
Tipping point: rise in waste going to dumps
1.4m tonnes
The EPA's National Waste Report 2006 found that the amount of biodegradable waste dumped increased by 9 per cent to 1.4 million tonnes, while the 2010 target is 967,000 tonnes.
22%
The recycling rate for household waste was static at 22 per cent in 2006 despite the introduction "in all parts of the country" the EPA said, of green and brown bins and recycling bring banks
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
That is according to the Environmental Protection Agency, which claims the Government is in "significant danger" of missing its EU targets for diverting recyclable waste from landfill.
In a new report, the environment watchdog also says the amount of biodegradable waste going to landfill is increasing despite a national commitment to recycling.
Minister for the Environment John Gormley last night admitted national waste policies were not working.
He said his waste policy review, which he announced in response to the granting of planning permission for the Poolbeg incinerator last November, and which he has said will demonstrate that large-scale incineration is unviable, will also focus on the landfill problem.
Almost 50 per cent more biodegradable waste, including food and garden waste, paper, cardboard, wood and textiles, is being sent to landfill than the target level for 2010. The EPA's National Waste Report 2006 found that the amount of biodegradable waste dumped increased by 9 per cent to 1.4 million tonnes, while the 2010 target is 967,000 tonnes.
Under the 1999 EU landfill directive, Ireland will be fined if it fails to meet the target. The directive also requires Ireland to put in place a biodegradable waste strategy to meet the target. Ireland published this strategy in 2006, but must now implement it as a matter of urgency, the EPA said.
"This report shows that the amount of waste going to landfill is increasing, not decreasing as we would have expected if Ireland is to meet its EU commitment to landfill less than one million tonnes of biodegradable municipal waste by 2010. The EPA is calling for urgent action to reverse this trend," deputy EPA director Dr Padraic Larkin said.
The Government could meet the target, Dr Larkin said, if it was prepared to take measures such as banning untreated waste in landfills and increasing landfill levies.
Mr Gormley last night promised that these levies would be increased.
"It is clear that landfill has become more attractive as gate fees have fallen and this has happened at a time when Ireland needs to be making more progress towards diverting material, particularly biodegradable waste, away from landfill. I propose, therefore, to introduce an increase in the landfill levy at the earliest opportunity to encourage recycling."
The increasing quantity of waste going to landfill was keeping recycling rates lower than they should be, the EPA said. The recycling rate for household waste was static at 22 per cent in 2006 despite the introduction "in all parts of the country" the EPA said, of green and brown bins and recycling bring banks.
However, Mr Gormley said the roll-out of recycling bins by local authorities and the private sector was insufficient.
"To date, only a limited number of households have had brown bin collection services but I want to see all those engaged in waste collection - both public and private sector operators - accelerate their plans for the provision of segregated collections for organic waste."
Prevention of waste was the key to reducing landfill volumes, the EPA said. Despite significant increases in the quantity of packaging waste recycled, the rate of packaging waste recycling actually decreased from 59 per cent in 2005 to 57 per cent in 2006.
Mr Gormley said he was confident that the waste review would bring about the required landfill reductions.
Tipping point: rise in waste going to dumps
1.4m tonnes
The EPA's National Waste Report 2006 found that the amount of biodegradable waste dumped increased by 9 per cent to 1.4 million tonnes, while the 2010 target is 967,000 tonnes.
22%
The recycling rate for household waste was static at 22 per cent in 2006 despite the introduction "in all parts of the country" the EPA said, of green and brown bins and recycling bring banks
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Tuesday, 29 January 2008
Shannon gas plan no harm, board told
A liquified natural gas facility on the Shannon estuary would not threaten the resident bottlenose dolphin population, the nearby Ballylongford oyster beds or the salmon population, a Bord Pleanála hearing has been told, writes Anne Lucey .
Independent experts retained by Shannon LNG to study the effects of the project on the ecology of the estuary told the sixth day of the oral hearing in Tralee that the increase of five or more per cent in shipping channel traffic brought about by the 125 LNG ships would not harm marine life.
They said Shannon LNG had agreed to conditions suggested by the Department of the Environment and would ensure discharges were treated before entering the estuary.
Earlier MEP Kathy Sinnott told the meeting on behalf of the Kilcolgan residents that "LNG is both dirty and dangerous".
Irish Times
www.buckpanning.ie
Independent experts retained by Shannon LNG to study the effects of the project on the ecology of the estuary told the sixth day of the oral hearing in Tralee that the increase of five or more per cent in shipping channel traffic brought about by the 125 LNG ships would not harm marine life.
They said Shannon LNG had agreed to conditions suggested by the Department of the Environment and would ensure discharges were treated before entering the estuary.
Earlier MEP Kathy Sinnott told the meeting on behalf of the Kilcolgan residents that "LNG is both dirty and dangerous".
Irish Times
www.buckpanning.ie
Cllrs' anger as developers ignore planning guidelines
Rules carefully laid down in Fingal's County Development Plan are not being followed when planning permissions are granted according to frustrated councillors who want planners to stick to the guidelines.
Rules on heights and densities of developments around the county were thrashed out in the council chamber when the County Development Plan was formulated in 2005.
But a number of councillors have expressed frustration that those rules are being ignored in certain developments around the county and developers are getting away with it.
Cllr Joan Maher (FG) raised the issue at last week's full council meeting and insisted that the council ensure that the County Development Plan is implemented in full when dealing with planning application.
The Fine Gael councillor's motion found support from Cllr David Healy (GP) who told the meeting that he expected the 'clear and simple' limits set down in the County Development Plan to be followed.
Cllr Anne Devitt (FG) said that a lot of work had gone into the County Development Plan and words were very carefully chosen. She said it was 'very frustrating' when planners took a different interpretation of the rules.
The council's Planning Department said that height and density restrictions are judged on a case-by-case basis and the requirements of the County Development Plan as well as government guidelines from the Department of the Environment were taken into account in considering each application.
County Manager, David O'Connor said he was sympathetic to the councillors' concerns and said the matter needed to be discussed in greater detail between the councillors and county planners.
John Manning
Fingal Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Rules on heights and densities of developments around the county were thrashed out in the council chamber when the County Development Plan was formulated in 2005.
But a number of councillors have expressed frustration that those rules are being ignored in certain developments around the county and developers are getting away with it.
Cllr Joan Maher (FG) raised the issue at last week's full council meeting and insisted that the council ensure that the County Development Plan is implemented in full when dealing with planning application.
The Fine Gael councillor's motion found support from Cllr David Healy (GP) who told the meeting that he expected the 'clear and simple' limits set down in the County Development Plan to be followed.
Cllr Anne Devitt (FG) said that a lot of work had gone into the County Development Plan and words were very carefully chosen. She said it was 'very frustrating' when planners took a different interpretation of the rules.
The council's Planning Department said that height and density restrictions are judged on a case-by-case basis and the requirements of the County Development Plan as well as government guidelines from the Department of the Environment were taken into account in considering each application.
County Manager, David O'Connor said he was sympathetic to the councillors' concerns and said the matter needed to be discussed in greater detail between the councillors and county planners.
John Manning
Fingal Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
County Council to weed out 'serial objectors'
'Serial objectors' are the new nuisance on the block according to Kerry County Council, who are to write to the Minister of the Environment to stamp out what they say are nuisance planning objectors.
This follows, a recent spate of objections from; identified "serial objectors" to An Bord
Speaking at the Council chambers on Monday, both Cllr Dinny and Michael Healy-Rae asked for the support of the Council in writing to the Minister to do something about objectors who appeal decisions to an Bord Pleanala granted to family members by Kerry County Council. They stated that family members are entitled to planning permission on family land and that a recent spate of unreasonable objections has caused a number of families great distress.
Stating that families are being devastated by the appeals, Cllr Danny Healy-Rae said "We need to ask Minister Gormley about what we can do about this".
Cllr Robert Beasley concurred, saying that it caused fierce hardship for families involved.
He suggested that an increase in the objector's fee may weed out "serial objectors".
It was agreed that a letter be sent to Minister John Gormley to help Kerry County Council devise a solution.
Kerry's Eye
www.buckplanning.ie
This follows, a recent spate of objections from; identified "serial objectors" to An Bord
Speaking at the Council chambers on Monday, both Cllr Dinny and Michael Healy-Rae asked for the support of the Council in writing to the Minister to do something about objectors who appeal decisions to an Bord Pleanala granted to family members by Kerry County Council. They stated that family members are entitled to planning permission on family land and that a recent spate of unreasonable objections has caused a number of families great distress.
Stating that families are being devastated by the appeals, Cllr Danny Healy-Rae said "We need to ask Minister Gormley about what we can do about this".
Cllr Robert Beasley concurred, saying that it caused fierce hardship for families involved.
He suggested that an increase in the objector's fee may weed out "serial objectors".
It was agreed that a letter be sent to Minister John Gormley to help Kerry County Council devise a solution.
Kerry's Eye
www.buckplanning.ie
An Bord Pleanála urged to reject bio-energy plant application
SOUTH Tipperary County Council has urged An Bord Pleanála to reject the application of a company that wants to develop an animal by-products processing plant in a rural area close to horse training and breeding establishments.
Council officials yesterday defended their decision to turn down an application by Green Organics Energy (GOE) Ltd for permission to develop a bio-energy plant, which would use by-products from slaughterhouses, at a site in Castleblake, Rosegreen, halfway between Clonmel and Cashel.
Speaking at a Bord Pleanála hearing into GOE’s appeal council senior planner James O’Mahony said that the reports prepared by and for the council, along with the “public disquiet” as evidenced by close to 1,000 submissions and observations, meant that any decision other than to refuse permission would be “contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area”.
Mr O’Mahony described as “ludicrous” a suggestion from GOE that the Castleblake location was suitable for an animal by-products processing plant because of the proximity of cattle.
He also called on the developers to unconditionally withdraw a claim that the council planners had not made an objective assessment but had started by deciding to refuse permission and then finding grounds to support that decision.
“The statement undermines the integrity of the planning authority,” he said.
According to Mr O’Mahony, it was “factually wrong” of GOE to argue that the Castleblake site was a suitable one because it had been the location of a rendering plant.
“The new operation is different in respect of the imported feedstocks and produces totally different outputs,” he said.
The plant would also be “totally different” in process, size and scale to the rendering plant, which closed in 2003, he said.
A number of local residents and businesspeople also gave evidence in support of the council’s refusal.
Pat Murphy, owner of the Cashel Palace Hotel, about 7km from the site of the proposed development, said that the smell from the rendering plant had created “a very bad impression” in Cashel. Raymond Davern, owner of a clothing shop in the town, said that there had been an “upturn in business” since the rendering plant’s closure.
However, he feared further problems if trucks carrying animal by-products started coming through Cashel again.
Farmer Michael Mulcahy, who lives 500m from the site said that road safety was a big issue in the area.
“I can’t imagine what it will be like if the amount of trucks increases,” he said.
Another farmer Kevin Mulcahy said that he had been shown a map marked with proposed earthworks and excavations on his land as part of a road improvement plan, but that he did not consent to these.
The cross-examination of some expert witnesses who gave evidence last week got under way yesterday evening and is expected to continue until at least Thursday. The hearing continues today.
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
Council officials yesterday defended their decision to turn down an application by Green Organics Energy (GOE) Ltd for permission to develop a bio-energy plant, which would use by-products from slaughterhouses, at a site in Castleblake, Rosegreen, halfway between Clonmel and Cashel.
Speaking at a Bord Pleanála hearing into GOE’s appeal council senior planner James O’Mahony said that the reports prepared by and for the council, along with the “public disquiet” as evidenced by close to 1,000 submissions and observations, meant that any decision other than to refuse permission would be “contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area”.
Mr O’Mahony described as “ludicrous” a suggestion from GOE that the Castleblake location was suitable for an animal by-products processing plant because of the proximity of cattle.
He also called on the developers to unconditionally withdraw a claim that the council planners had not made an objective assessment but had started by deciding to refuse permission and then finding grounds to support that decision.
“The statement undermines the integrity of the planning authority,” he said.
According to Mr O’Mahony, it was “factually wrong” of GOE to argue that the Castleblake site was a suitable one because it had been the location of a rendering plant.
“The new operation is different in respect of the imported feedstocks and produces totally different outputs,” he said.
The plant would also be “totally different” in process, size and scale to the rendering plant, which closed in 2003, he said.
A number of local residents and businesspeople also gave evidence in support of the council’s refusal.
Pat Murphy, owner of the Cashel Palace Hotel, about 7km from the site of the proposed development, said that the smell from the rendering plant had created “a very bad impression” in Cashel. Raymond Davern, owner of a clothing shop in the town, said that there had been an “upturn in business” since the rendering plant’s closure.
However, he feared further problems if trucks carrying animal by-products started coming through Cashel again.
Farmer Michael Mulcahy, who lives 500m from the site said that road safety was a big issue in the area.
“I can’t imagine what it will be like if the amount of trucks increases,” he said.
Another farmer Kevin Mulcahy said that he had been shown a map marked with proposed earthworks and excavations on his land as part of a road improvement plan, but that he did not consent to these.
The cross-examination of some expert witnesses who gave evidence last week got under way yesterday evening and is expected to continue until at least Thursday. The hearing continues today.
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
'Victory' claim on council access
A Green Party councillor was last night claiming victory in his move to have TDs banned from the non-public sections of Clare County Council's planning offices.
At the council's January meeting, Cllr Brian Meaney (Green) tabled a motion to have Clare's four Dáil deputies banned from securing access to the non-public sections of the planning offices. However, the motion coincided with plans by the council executive to ban councillors themselves from the non-public sections.
As a result, councillors and the officials held a meeting behind closed doors last Monday against the background of TDs railing against the move to have them banned.
Cllr Meaney's motion was adjourned to yesterday's meeting and he said he was withdrawing his motion.
Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Meaney confirmed that at the private council meeting last week, the county manager, Alec Fleming, said that the 32 members of the council would be provided with electronic cards that would ensure unhindered access to the planning office.
Cllr Meaney said: "I'm happy under this new arrangement that the TDs will no longer have access and be able to skulk around the planning office."
Mayor of Clare Cllr Patricia McCarthy (Ind) said: "The issue of access for councillors to the non-public section of the planning office has been clarified and councillors are to be issued with key cards.
"In relation to anyone else, it is a matter for the county manager to manage who has access to and from the council headquarters."
Cllr Martin Conway (FG) said that the withdrawal by Cllr Meaney of his motion was a good compromise.
He said: "Councillors will still have access to the planning department, but we have given an undertaking that we will only use the keys in special circumstances."
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
At the council's January meeting, Cllr Brian Meaney (Green) tabled a motion to have Clare's four Dáil deputies banned from securing access to the non-public sections of the planning offices. However, the motion coincided with plans by the council executive to ban councillors themselves from the non-public sections.
As a result, councillors and the officials held a meeting behind closed doors last Monday against the background of TDs railing against the move to have them banned.
Cllr Meaney's motion was adjourned to yesterday's meeting and he said he was withdrawing his motion.
Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Meaney confirmed that at the private council meeting last week, the county manager, Alec Fleming, said that the 32 members of the council would be provided with electronic cards that would ensure unhindered access to the planning office.
Cllr Meaney said: "I'm happy under this new arrangement that the TDs will no longer have access and be able to skulk around the planning office."
Mayor of Clare Cllr Patricia McCarthy (Ind) said: "The issue of access for councillors to the non-public section of the planning office has been clarified and councillors are to be issued with key cards.
"In relation to anyone else, it is a matter for the county manager to manage who has access to and from the council headquarters."
Cllr Martin Conway (FG) said that the withdrawal by Cllr Meaney of his motion was a good compromise.
He said: "Councillors will still have access to the planning department, but we have given an undertaking that we will only use the keys in special circumstances."
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Dublin Bus to build depot in west Dublin
Dublin Bus has unveiled plans to build a purpose-built bus depot on a 10-acre site at Grange Castle in west Dublin.
A planning application for the development is to be lodged with South Dublin County Council in the next month. The zoning of the site at Grange Castle on the Adamstown/Newcastle Road adjacent to Grange Castle Business Park already allows for such a facility.
Subject to planning permission, Dublin Bus envisages that construction of the facility will begin early next year and will be completed by the end of 2010.
If planning permission is granted, Dublin Bus will invite tenders to compete for the construction of the depot and will not be disclosing the costs of the development until after the tendering process is finished.
The planned depot is designed to serve some of the fastest growing parts of west and south Dublin, including Clondalkin, south Lucan, Liffey Valley, Tallaght and Adamstown. A quality bus corridor will operate between the city centre, Clondalkin and the proposed depot.
The site was chosen because of its proximity to major road routes including the M50, N7, N4 and N81 and the possibility of expanded services with any future Dublin outer ring road.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
A planning application for the development is to be lodged with South Dublin County Council in the next month. The zoning of the site at Grange Castle on the Adamstown/Newcastle Road adjacent to Grange Castle Business Park already allows for such a facility.
Subject to planning permission, Dublin Bus envisages that construction of the facility will begin early next year and will be completed by the end of 2010.
If planning permission is granted, Dublin Bus will invite tenders to compete for the construction of the depot and will not be disclosing the costs of the development until after the tendering process is finished.
The planned depot is designed to serve some of the fastest growing parts of west and south Dublin, including Clondalkin, south Lucan, Liffey Valley, Tallaght and Adamstown. A quality bus corridor will operate between the city centre, Clondalkin and the proposed depot.
The site was chosen because of its proximity to major road routes including the M50, N7, N4 and N81 and the possibility of expanded services with any future Dublin outer ring road.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Bungalows least energy efficient, survey finds
Bungalow-type dwellings have been found to be the least energy efficient when it comes to complying with new energy regulations, according to a UCD study.
From July 1st, new dwellings seeking planning permission will have to achieve a 40 per cent reduction in energy consumption and a 40 per cent reduction in related CO2 emissions.
The UCD study, commissioned by the Department of the Environment, looked at nine different-sized detached, semi-detached and terraced houses and apartments, to see how they would comply with the 40 per cent reduction in energy consumption.
Vivienne Brophy, director of UCD energy group, said the bungalow was the only dwelling type which still did not comply with the proposed regulations after a number of modifications were made. Changes included improving insulation, glazing and boiler efficiency and switching to low-energy lighting.
The apartments and a terraced house were the first of the nine dwellings to comply after initial modifications were made.
Ms Brophy outlined the findings yesterday at a conference for architects and planners, organised by the Royal Institute of Architects in Ireland with the Department of the Environment and the Centre for Housing Research.
Minister for the Environment John Gormley told the conference that the Government was fully committed to ensuring that the 40 per cent target would be met. He said the regulations - known as Part L - would also affect some existing homes if boilers were being replaced. New boilers will have to have an energy efficiency of at least 86 per cent, compared with an average of 70-80 per cent in currently installed boilers.
The conference also heard about the need to start designing houses for a changing climate.
Bill Gething, of the Architects' Council of Europe, said summer overheating would have to be countered with measures such as large and secure ventilation openings, carefully orientated modest-sized windows and low-energy appliances.
Architect and broadcaster Duncan Stewart said the slowdown in the housing market gave an opportunity to developers to respond to climate change needs.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
From July 1st, new dwellings seeking planning permission will have to achieve a 40 per cent reduction in energy consumption and a 40 per cent reduction in related CO2 emissions.
The UCD study, commissioned by the Department of the Environment, looked at nine different-sized detached, semi-detached and terraced houses and apartments, to see how they would comply with the 40 per cent reduction in energy consumption.
Vivienne Brophy, director of UCD energy group, said the bungalow was the only dwelling type which still did not comply with the proposed regulations after a number of modifications were made. Changes included improving insulation, glazing and boiler efficiency and switching to low-energy lighting.
The apartments and a terraced house were the first of the nine dwellings to comply after initial modifications were made.
Ms Brophy outlined the findings yesterday at a conference for architects and planners, organised by the Royal Institute of Architects in Ireland with the Department of the Environment and the Centre for Housing Research.
Minister for the Environment John Gormley told the conference that the Government was fully committed to ensuring that the 40 per cent target would be met. He said the regulations - known as Part L - would also affect some existing homes if boilers were being replaced. New boilers will have to have an energy efficiency of at least 86 per cent, compared with an average of 70-80 per cent in currently installed boilers.
The conference also heard about the need to start designing houses for a changing climate.
Bill Gething, of the Architects' Council of Europe, said summer overheating would have to be countered with measures such as large and secure ventilation openings, carefully orientated modest-sized windows and low-energy appliances.
Architect and broadcaster Duncan Stewart said the slowdown in the housing market gave an opportunity to developers to respond to climate change needs.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Monday, 28 January 2008
Focus on green issues offers architects ‘exciting design challenges’
IRELAND’S commitment to developing a cleaner, greener, more sustainable environment offers architects a world of opportunities and exciting design challenges, according to a leading academic.
Despite ongoing uncertainty in the construction sector, the future for architectural graduates has never looked brighter, says Sharon O’Brien, the acting head of the department of architecture at Waterford Institute of Technology.
The majority of architectural graduates have traditionally entered architectural design offices upon graduation. This trend is changing and today an architectural education opens up many possibilities for employment, she said.
“Architects are now sought in the public sector as advisors and designers on the build environment in the areas of urban and rural planning and in the conservation of the historic fabric of our cities, towns and villages. With the pressing need to address sustainability more will become advisors and design specialists in greener design,” said Ms O’Brien.
The new department of architecture at Waterford Institute of Technology provides a “learning through doing” environment for the education of architects, architectural technicians and architectural technologists where the studio becomes the workshop, where ideas and practice are tested in model and drawing form, said the acting head of department.
“We offer four degree level programmes, the existing three-year BSc in architectural technology and an add-on one-year BSc (honours) in architectural technology. In 2005, the department of architecture began to run its architectural programme.
“In many respects this was an historic event in the history of architectural education in Ireland as Waterford Institute of Technology was the first third level institution in Ireland outside Dublin to receive academic validation for a new architecture degree programme.
“The programme currently on offer is a five-year degree leading to a Bachelor of Architecture (hons) with an intermediate BScArch. (hons) degree offered after three years,” she said.
The programme is modularised and semesterised and this approach facilitates part time and full time modes of study. Its system of electives encourages diverse avenues of interest through collaborations with existing schools at WIT, namely the schools of engineering, humanities and business.
About half of the first year places will be offered directly via the central CAO route, the other half reserved for graduates from related disciplines, transfer students and mature applicants who have successfully completed an assessment procedure. This non-traditional open access policy creates greater diversity within the student body leading to a stimulating dynamic within the studio. The cut-off for this year’s programme is 470 points.
The department of architecture has an international lecturing staff with practice experience in France, Germany, Britain, Finland, America and Canada. The department has established links with the leading French school of architecture at Marne La Vallee, in Paris and with the world renowned Renzo Piano Building Workshop.
International architects participate on the programme as guest lecturers, and tutors. Erasmus exchange students from France and Germany have already participated in the programme. Cultural trips to European capital cities are also an important element of each year on the Bachelor of Architecture degree.
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
Despite ongoing uncertainty in the construction sector, the future for architectural graduates has never looked brighter, says Sharon O’Brien, the acting head of the department of architecture at Waterford Institute of Technology.
The majority of architectural graduates have traditionally entered architectural design offices upon graduation. This trend is changing and today an architectural education opens up many possibilities for employment, she said.
“Architects are now sought in the public sector as advisors and designers on the build environment in the areas of urban and rural planning and in the conservation of the historic fabric of our cities, towns and villages. With the pressing need to address sustainability more will become advisors and design specialists in greener design,” said Ms O’Brien.
The new department of architecture at Waterford Institute of Technology provides a “learning through doing” environment for the education of architects, architectural technicians and architectural technologists where the studio becomes the workshop, where ideas and practice are tested in model and drawing form, said the acting head of department.
“We offer four degree level programmes, the existing three-year BSc in architectural technology and an add-on one-year BSc (honours) in architectural technology. In 2005, the department of architecture began to run its architectural programme.
“In many respects this was an historic event in the history of architectural education in Ireland as Waterford Institute of Technology was the first third level institution in Ireland outside Dublin to receive academic validation for a new architecture degree programme.
“The programme currently on offer is a five-year degree leading to a Bachelor of Architecture (hons) with an intermediate BScArch. (hons) degree offered after three years,” she said.
The programme is modularised and semesterised and this approach facilitates part time and full time modes of study. Its system of electives encourages diverse avenues of interest through collaborations with existing schools at WIT, namely the schools of engineering, humanities and business.
About half of the first year places will be offered directly via the central CAO route, the other half reserved for graduates from related disciplines, transfer students and mature applicants who have successfully completed an assessment procedure. This non-traditional open access policy creates greater diversity within the student body leading to a stimulating dynamic within the studio. The cut-off for this year’s programme is 470 points.
The department of architecture has an international lecturing staff with practice experience in France, Germany, Britain, Finland, America and Canada. The department has established links with the leading French school of architecture at Marne La Vallee, in Paris and with the world renowned Renzo Piano Building Workshop.
International architects participate on the programme as guest lecturers, and tutors. Erasmus exchange students from France and Germany have already participated in the programme. Cultural trips to European capital cities are also an important element of each year on the Bachelor of Architecture degree.
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
Sunday, 27 January 2008
Public consultation to form part of Lough Derg Development Strategy
Members of the public in Clare, Galway and North Tipperary and are being asked for their input on the formulation of a tourism and recreational development strategy for Lough Derg.
The aim of the 'Lough Derg Sustainable Marina, Recreational & Tourism Development Strategy' is to maintain and improve tourism visitor services, recreational facilities and environmental amenities around the lake and River Shannon.
Clare County Council (Lead Partner), Galway County Council, North Tipperary County Council and Shannon Development are currently conducting a study that will formulate a strategy for the provision of marina and tourism-related developments along the shoreline of Lough Derg. The study will focus on identifying existing facilities and determining future market demand for marina/berthing/moorings or other relevant tourism developments around the lake.
The upcoming series of public consultations will take place at -
* Shannon Oaks Hotel, Portumna (2-8pm, Tuesday 29th Jan);
* Lakeside Hotel, Ballina, County Tipperary (2-8pm, Wednesday 30th Jan) - and
* Kincora Hall Hotel, Killaloe, County Clare (2-8pm, Thursday 31st Jan).
"It is important that anyone with an interest in the future development of Lough Derg and its shoreline attend the upcoming public meetings" - stated Mr. John Bradley, Senior Executive Planner, Clare County Council. "Lough Derg is one of Ireland's most valued tourism assets - but, it is also a vulnerable landscape, which is why it is imperative that it is the subject of an extensive development strategy.
"The study partners - in conjunction with the local community and interested parties - must ensure that an appropriate balance is established, with development in the most appropriate locations and the protection of vulnerable areas."
A Vulnerable Landscape Survey will feature as part of the strategy formulation process. The aim of the habitat survey of lands in the Clare and Galway County areas of Lough Derg is to determine the presence of features of archaeological, geological or cultural interest, habitats and species.
Among the sources of information referenced during the course of the survey will be the Clare Landscape Character Assessment, data from the Shannon River Basin District, Local Biodiversity Area reports and EIS reports.
Meanwhile, a survey of marina and related water facilities at Lough Derg will also take place. The survey will take into account private individual moorings, public berthings, private group berthings and floating buoys around the lake. Presently, there are twelve public harbours located on Lough Derg at Killaloe, Mountshannon, Williamstown, Scariff, Tuamgraney (Clare), Garrykennedy, Ballina, Dromineer, Kilgarven, Terryglass (Tipperary), Rosmore and Portumna (Galway). There are also eight private harbours.
"All the indications are that demand for moorings will continue to increase on and around Lough Derg" - added Mr, Bradley. "This increased demand will lead to various problems - including illegal moorings, overuse of public harbour facilities and increased and overuse of existing private marina facilities.
"Therefore, it is incumbent on the planning authorities to quickly establish an effective long-term strategy that will address this anticipated increased demand."
It is anticipated that the study will be completed within three months.
www.buckplanning.ie
The aim of the 'Lough Derg Sustainable Marina, Recreational & Tourism Development Strategy' is to maintain and improve tourism visitor services, recreational facilities and environmental amenities around the lake and River Shannon.
Clare County Council (Lead Partner), Galway County Council, North Tipperary County Council and Shannon Development are currently conducting a study that will formulate a strategy for the provision of marina and tourism-related developments along the shoreline of Lough Derg. The study will focus on identifying existing facilities and determining future market demand for marina/berthing/moorings or other relevant tourism developments around the lake.
The upcoming series of public consultations will take place at -
* Shannon Oaks Hotel, Portumna (2-8pm, Tuesday 29th Jan);
* Lakeside Hotel, Ballina, County Tipperary (2-8pm, Wednesday 30th Jan) - and
* Kincora Hall Hotel, Killaloe, County Clare (2-8pm, Thursday 31st Jan).
"It is important that anyone with an interest in the future development of Lough Derg and its shoreline attend the upcoming public meetings" - stated Mr. John Bradley, Senior Executive Planner, Clare County Council. "Lough Derg is one of Ireland's most valued tourism assets - but, it is also a vulnerable landscape, which is why it is imperative that it is the subject of an extensive development strategy.
"The study partners - in conjunction with the local community and interested parties - must ensure that an appropriate balance is established, with development in the most appropriate locations and the protection of vulnerable areas."
A Vulnerable Landscape Survey will feature as part of the strategy formulation process. The aim of the habitat survey of lands in the Clare and Galway County areas of Lough Derg is to determine the presence of features of archaeological, geological or cultural interest, habitats and species.
Among the sources of information referenced during the course of the survey will be the Clare Landscape Character Assessment, data from the Shannon River Basin District, Local Biodiversity Area reports and EIS reports.
Meanwhile, a survey of marina and related water facilities at Lough Derg will also take place. The survey will take into account private individual moorings, public berthings, private group berthings and floating buoys around the lake. Presently, there are twelve public harbours located on Lough Derg at Killaloe, Mountshannon, Williamstown, Scariff, Tuamgraney (Clare), Garrykennedy, Ballina, Dromineer, Kilgarven, Terryglass (Tipperary), Rosmore and Portumna (Galway). There are also eight private harbours.
"All the indications are that demand for moorings will continue to increase on and around Lough Derg" - added Mr, Bradley. "This increased demand will lead to various problems - including illegal moorings, overuse of public harbour facilities and increased and overuse of existing private marina facilities.
"Therefore, it is incumbent on the planning authorities to quickly establish an effective long-term strategy that will address this anticipated increased demand."
It is anticipated that the study will be completed within three months.
www.buckplanning.ie
Ireland not so green
Ireland is still not doing enough to protect the environment, despite the country's green efforts and reputation, the author of a new guide book says.
The 8th edition of Lonely Planet's guide to Ireland points out that the country's carbon footprint is 'more than double the global average'. It also explains how recent polls have shown that 'the Irish are slightly less concerned about the environment than are the citizens of most other European countries'.
The guide says - 'Ireland's 40 shades of green don't, it seems, include the all-important eco-green' - and emphasises the impact environmental damage could have on tourism. It adds - 'Sustainable travel has to become a core issue if Ireland is to continue attracting visitors with its mix of great scenic beauty, distinctive heritage and wonderful culture'.
However, although the guide identifies areas where more could be done, it also recognises the positive actions the country has taken to tackle the issue. The guide also acknowledges that - 'Ireland's eco credentials are only just being established' - and explains that, compared to other countries, 'Ireland does not rate among the world's biggest offenders when it comes to polluting the environment'.
Author Fionn Davenport describes Ireland as "the envy of Europe" for introducing recycling programmes to address environmental issues and to counteract the problems which the thriving economy has caused. The guide supports this - explaining that the "plastic bag tax - dubbed 'the plastax' - resulted in a 90% drop in bag waste and has proved remarkably effective, reducing the use of these noxious carriers by up to 40%". The guide goes on to say that following its success 'Northern Ireland introduced a 5p levy in July 2007'.
While Ireland could do better environmentally, Davenport boasts that it's still a great place for an eco-friendly break - "Ireland's green natural landscapes are ideal for a host of outdoor activities, such as diving, surfing and fishing."
The guide says - 'Ireland's comprehensive and efficient bus network makes it easy to avoid the use of a car and the country is well suited to cycling and walking holidays. Many hotels, guesthouses and hostels tout green credentials and organic ingredients are frequently promoted on restaurant menus'.
The book shows travellers how they can travel sustainably and highlights the many eco-experiences for visitors.
The guide introduces 'Greendex' - a reference index of attractions, tours, restaurants and accommodation that run along sustainable lines.
Davenport says - "Throughout this book, we have endeavoured to highlight any accommodation or project that puts green issues at the forefront of their planning" - to encourage travellers to choose holidays that have a positive impact on the environment, culture and economy.
There is also a new food chapter, highlighting the rediscovery of Irish traditional cuisine, with a focus on local farmers and locally-sourced produce.
The book describes Belfast as being 'once lumped with Beirut, Baghdad and Bosnia as one the four 'B's for travellers to avoid'.
However, 'Belfast has pulled off a remarkable transformation - from bombs-and-bullets pariah, to hip-hotels-and-hedonism party town'.
www.buckplanning.ie
The 8th edition of Lonely Planet's guide to Ireland points out that the country's carbon footprint is 'more than double the global average'. It also explains how recent polls have shown that 'the Irish are slightly less concerned about the environment than are the citizens of most other European countries'.
The guide says - 'Ireland's 40 shades of green don't, it seems, include the all-important eco-green' - and emphasises the impact environmental damage could have on tourism. It adds - 'Sustainable travel has to become a core issue if Ireland is to continue attracting visitors with its mix of great scenic beauty, distinctive heritage and wonderful culture'.
However, although the guide identifies areas where more could be done, it also recognises the positive actions the country has taken to tackle the issue. The guide also acknowledges that - 'Ireland's eco credentials are only just being established' - and explains that, compared to other countries, 'Ireland does not rate among the world's biggest offenders when it comes to polluting the environment'.
Author Fionn Davenport describes Ireland as "the envy of Europe" for introducing recycling programmes to address environmental issues and to counteract the problems which the thriving economy has caused. The guide supports this - explaining that the "plastic bag tax - dubbed 'the plastax' - resulted in a 90% drop in bag waste and has proved remarkably effective, reducing the use of these noxious carriers by up to 40%". The guide goes on to say that following its success 'Northern Ireland introduced a 5p levy in July 2007'.
While Ireland could do better environmentally, Davenport boasts that it's still a great place for an eco-friendly break - "Ireland's green natural landscapes are ideal for a host of outdoor activities, such as diving, surfing and fishing."
The guide says - 'Ireland's comprehensive and efficient bus network makes it easy to avoid the use of a car and the country is well suited to cycling and walking holidays. Many hotels, guesthouses and hostels tout green credentials and organic ingredients are frequently promoted on restaurant menus'.
The book shows travellers how they can travel sustainably and highlights the many eco-experiences for visitors.
The guide introduces 'Greendex' - a reference index of attractions, tours, restaurants and accommodation that run along sustainable lines.
Davenport says - "Throughout this book, we have endeavoured to highlight any accommodation or project that puts green issues at the forefront of their planning" - to encourage travellers to choose holidays that have a positive impact on the environment, culture and economy.
There is also a new food chapter, highlighting the rediscovery of Irish traditional cuisine, with a focus on local farmers and locally-sourced produce.
The book describes Belfast as being 'once lumped with Beirut, Baghdad and Bosnia as one the four 'B's for travellers to avoid'.
However, 'Belfast has pulled off a remarkable transformation - from bombs-and-bullets pariah, to hip-hotels-and-hedonism party town'.
www.buckplanning.ie
EPA targets over 300 public water supplies for enforcement action
The EPA has released a report entitled - 'The Provision and Quality of Drinking Water in Ireland: A Report for the Years 2006 - 2007'.
This is the EPA's first report on drinking water quality since new Regulations were introduced in March 2007. These new Regulations provide a greater level of consumer protection by requiring public water suppliers to notify the EPA and the Health Service Executive where there is a potential risk to human health and to comply with their directions.
The report is based on the results of over 220,000 individual analyses of drinking water samples.
The report found that -
* E. coli was detected at least once in 77 out of 944 public water supplies. This indicates intermittent contamination of over 8 per cent of public water supplies;
* E. coli was detected in almost 36 per cent of private group water schemes. This means that, out of 688 schemes monitored, 246 were contaminated at least once during 2006;
* Compliance with the required chemical standards was satisfactory for all supplies (99.3 per cent compliance);
* Since the introduction of the new drinking water Regulations, the EPA issued 22 binding directions to 12 local authorities in order to restore a clean and wholesome water supply;
* The EPA has now identified over 300 public water supplies - representing 36 per cent of all public drinking water supplies - that require detailed profiling from catchment to consumer to determine whether the supply needs to be replaced or upgraded - or where operational practices need to be improved to ensure that the water supplied to the general public is clean and wholesome.
In setting out his enforcement plan for 2008, Dara Lynott, Director, EPA Office of Environmental Enforcement said - "The enforcement of the drinking water Regulations by the EPA will be risk-based and outcome-driven. The principal risks to drinking water are those that have a health impact - particularly contamination of supplies associated with E. coli and Cryptosporidium. The highest number of notifications received by the EPA in 2007 related to contamination of supplies with E. coli. This situation is unacceptable."
The EPA report concludes that sampling of drinking water at the tap provides only a snapshot of the quality of the water supply and cannot be relied on as the sole indicator of a safe and secure drinking water supply.
Gerard O'Leary, Programme Manager, EPA Office of Environmental Enforcement said - "There are two requirements in providing clean and wholesome drinking water - firstly, the water supplier needs to ensure that water is safe to drink and, secondly, the water supplier needs to ensure that the water supply is secure."
By way of example, the report highlights that the Galway City water supply was sampled over 500 times in 2006 and over 99 per cent of samples were compliant. However, the supply was also classified as very high-risk in relation to Cryptosporidium contamination and, in fact, there was a very significant outbreak of Cryptosporidium in 2007, which resulted in a boil notice on drinking water in Galway city for over five months.
As Gerard O'Leary explains - "The Cryptosporidium contamination of the Galway City water supply shows that sampling at the tap - on its own - does not guarantee the safety of the drinking water supply, if the security of the supply has not been dealt with. Compliance with the 48 drinking water standards has to be taken as the minimum requirement to be achieved and not something to be aspired to over a number of years."
He added - "The ability of water suppliers to provide clean and wholesome drinking water will be determined by using a wider range of control and management criteria than has previously been the case."
To provide for a safe and secure drinking water supply, the EPA now requires that all risks associated with a water supply be identified, monitored and managed.
Since the introduction of new drinking water Regulations in 2007, the EPA has identified over 300 water supplies for further enforcement action, following -
* risk assessments undertaken by local authorities
* a review of over three years' drinking water data
* audits of water treatment plants
* consultations with the Health Services Executive - and
* liaison with the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government.
These actions will require the replacement of some supplies, a significant capital investment in other supplies and/or significant changes in operational practices. The priority for the EPA's enforcement effort in 2008 will be to work with local authorities to secure drinking water supply into the future.
The European Communities (Drinking Water) Regulations (No.2), 2007 assigned new powers and responsibilities to the EPA in the drinking water area. Since March 2007, the new powers assigned to the EPA include a responsibility to -
* Ensure local authorities are taking the appropriate action to ensure that public water supplies comply with the relevant quality standards;
* Review the actions taken by local authorities in public water supplies where there has been a breach of a standard or any other risk to human health;
* Review and approve monitoring programmes to ensure that adequate monitoring is carried out by local authorities;
* Audit local authority water treatment plants - and
* Publish guidance on how local authorities are to implement the Regulations - including binding guidelines on auditing.
The local authority, in turn, has been designated as the supervisory authority over private water supplies (including group water schemes) and has similar responsibilities to the EPA in relation to these supplies.
www.buckplanning.ie
This is the EPA's first report on drinking water quality since new Regulations were introduced in March 2007. These new Regulations provide a greater level of consumer protection by requiring public water suppliers to notify the EPA and the Health Service Executive where there is a potential risk to human health and to comply with their directions.
The report is based on the results of over 220,000 individual analyses of drinking water samples.
The report found that -
* E. coli was detected at least once in 77 out of 944 public water supplies. This indicates intermittent contamination of over 8 per cent of public water supplies;
* E. coli was detected in almost 36 per cent of private group water schemes. This means that, out of 688 schemes monitored, 246 were contaminated at least once during 2006;
* Compliance with the required chemical standards was satisfactory for all supplies (99.3 per cent compliance);
* Since the introduction of the new drinking water Regulations, the EPA issued 22 binding directions to 12 local authorities in order to restore a clean and wholesome water supply;
* The EPA has now identified over 300 public water supplies - representing 36 per cent of all public drinking water supplies - that require detailed profiling from catchment to consumer to determine whether the supply needs to be replaced or upgraded - or where operational practices need to be improved to ensure that the water supplied to the general public is clean and wholesome.
In setting out his enforcement plan for 2008, Dara Lynott, Director, EPA Office of Environmental Enforcement said - "The enforcement of the drinking water Regulations by the EPA will be risk-based and outcome-driven. The principal risks to drinking water are those that have a health impact - particularly contamination of supplies associated with E. coli and Cryptosporidium. The highest number of notifications received by the EPA in 2007 related to contamination of supplies with E. coli. This situation is unacceptable."
The EPA report concludes that sampling of drinking water at the tap provides only a snapshot of the quality of the water supply and cannot be relied on as the sole indicator of a safe and secure drinking water supply.
Gerard O'Leary, Programme Manager, EPA Office of Environmental Enforcement said - "There are two requirements in providing clean and wholesome drinking water - firstly, the water supplier needs to ensure that water is safe to drink and, secondly, the water supplier needs to ensure that the water supply is secure."
By way of example, the report highlights that the Galway City water supply was sampled over 500 times in 2006 and over 99 per cent of samples were compliant. However, the supply was also classified as very high-risk in relation to Cryptosporidium contamination and, in fact, there was a very significant outbreak of Cryptosporidium in 2007, which resulted in a boil notice on drinking water in Galway city for over five months.
As Gerard O'Leary explains - "The Cryptosporidium contamination of the Galway City water supply shows that sampling at the tap - on its own - does not guarantee the safety of the drinking water supply, if the security of the supply has not been dealt with. Compliance with the 48 drinking water standards has to be taken as the minimum requirement to be achieved and not something to be aspired to over a number of years."
He added - "The ability of water suppliers to provide clean and wholesome drinking water will be determined by using a wider range of control and management criteria than has previously been the case."
To provide for a safe and secure drinking water supply, the EPA now requires that all risks associated with a water supply be identified, monitored and managed.
Since the introduction of new drinking water Regulations in 2007, the EPA has identified over 300 water supplies for further enforcement action, following -
* risk assessments undertaken by local authorities
* a review of over three years' drinking water data
* audits of water treatment plants
* consultations with the Health Services Executive - and
* liaison with the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government.
These actions will require the replacement of some supplies, a significant capital investment in other supplies and/or significant changes in operational practices. The priority for the EPA's enforcement effort in 2008 will be to work with local authorities to secure drinking water supply into the future.
The European Communities (Drinking Water) Regulations (No.2), 2007 assigned new powers and responsibilities to the EPA in the drinking water area. Since March 2007, the new powers assigned to the EPA include a responsibility to -
* Ensure local authorities are taking the appropriate action to ensure that public water supplies comply with the relevant quality standards;
* Review the actions taken by local authorities in public water supplies where there has been a breach of a standard or any other risk to human health;
* Review and approve monitoring programmes to ensure that adequate monitoring is carried out by local authorities;
* Audit local authority water treatment plants - and
* Publish guidance on how local authorities are to implement the Regulations - including binding guidelines on auditing.
The local authority, in turn, has been designated as the supervisory authority over private water supplies (including group water schemes) and has similar responsibilities to the EPA in relation to these supplies.
www.buckplanning.ie
Final push on motorway projects
The National Roads Authority is to spend almost €1.7 billion this year in a move which will see construction start on the final projects of the Government's inter-urban motorway programme. Tim O'Brien reports.
Just four projects remain to be started in the programme which aims to link the regional cities of Galway, Limerick, Cork and Waterford with Dublin by high quality roads by 2010.
The four projects concerned are :
• the Carlow to Knocktopher scheme on the N9;
• the Kilcullen to Carlow scheme also on the N9;
• two schemes on the N7, Casteltown to Nenagh and rebuilding the junction at Newlands Cross.
This year will see the completion of just three major schemes on the inter-urban routes, the lowest number in recent years. The schemes are:
• the Kilbeggan to Athlone dual carriageway on the N6 which is to open in May;
• the Cashel to Mitchelstown dual carriageway on the N8 which is due to open in the autumn;
• the Carlow bypass which is also due to open in the autumn.
In addition to those starting and those being completed this year, work is to continue into 2009 on some seven schemes on the major inter-urban routes. These are: Leixlip to the M50 junction on the N4 to be completed in 2009; Athlone to Ballinasloe on the N6 in 2009; Ballinasloe to Galway in 2010; Nenagh to Limerick on the N7 in 2009; Culahill to Cashel on the N8 in 2009; and Portlaoise to Cullahill/Castletown on the M8/M9 by 2010.
But the authority said yesterday that while priority was being placed on completing the inter-urban routes, 2008 would also see the start of schemes linking Oranmore to Gort, and Gort to the Cusheen bypass. This route will provide an inter-urban motorway between Limerick and Galway on the N18, the first phase of the Atlantic Corridor.
The authority will also start work on the Tullamore bypass on the N52 in Co Offaly.
The NRA has, however, been unsuccessful in convincing the Government that it should be given another €500 million a year to begin further schemes.
While a number of schemes outside the major inter-urban routes are already under way, such as the M3 motorway in Co Meath, the upgrade of the M50, the Limerick tunnel and the Navan relief road, NRA chairman Peter Malone said the authority was ready to ramp up investment even further if the money was forthcoming.
But he said a section of the N11 between the Rathnew bypass and Arklow which had seen record numbers of deaths in recent years would be progressed this year, in any event, with the start of a tendering process. Mr Malone also pointed out that by this autumn the upgrade of the M50 would be complete from the M1/M50 junction to Ballymount.
Commenting on the situation Mr Malone said the construction industry would be able to manage the extra contracts involved with the extra €500 million, as it had many more projects lined up for the post-2010 period. But he said 2010 would see enormous benefits for regional tourism with many of the major tourist destinations becoming only a few hours from Dublin by car.
He added that the new motorways and bypasses were "giving towns and villages back to the people" by removing traffic congestion from their main streets.
Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey said that within three years the Republic would have a network "criss-crossing the country which would connect communities" and which would be seven times safer than the roads they replace.
He also said the opening of the new roads would facilitate greater competitiveness, adding that the improvements for business were visible: "Business can do business in a more effective way," he commented.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Just four projects remain to be started in the programme which aims to link the regional cities of Galway, Limerick, Cork and Waterford with Dublin by high quality roads by 2010.
The four projects concerned are :
• the Carlow to Knocktopher scheme on the N9;
• the Kilcullen to Carlow scheme also on the N9;
• two schemes on the N7, Casteltown to Nenagh and rebuilding the junction at Newlands Cross.
This year will see the completion of just three major schemes on the inter-urban routes, the lowest number in recent years. The schemes are:
• the Kilbeggan to Athlone dual carriageway on the N6 which is to open in May;
• the Cashel to Mitchelstown dual carriageway on the N8 which is due to open in the autumn;
• the Carlow bypass which is also due to open in the autumn.
In addition to those starting and those being completed this year, work is to continue into 2009 on some seven schemes on the major inter-urban routes. These are: Leixlip to the M50 junction on the N4 to be completed in 2009; Athlone to Ballinasloe on the N6 in 2009; Ballinasloe to Galway in 2010; Nenagh to Limerick on the N7 in 2009; Culahill to Cashel on the N8 in 2009; and Portlaoise to Cullahill/Castletown on the M8/M9 by 2010.
But the authority said yesterday that while priority was being placed on completing the inter-urban routes, 2008 would also see the start of schemes linking Oranmore to Gort, and Gort to the Cusheen bypass. This route will provide an inter-urban motorway between Limerick and Galway on the N18, the first phase of the Atlantic Corridor.
The authority will also start work on the Tullamore bypass on the N52 in Co Offaly.
The NRA has, however, been unsuccessful in convincing the Government that it should be given another €500 million a year to begin further schemes.
While a number of schemes outside the major inter-urban routes are already under way, such as the M3 motorway in Co Meath, the upgrade of the M50, the Limerick tunnel and the Navan relief road, NRA chairman Peter Malone said the authority was ready to ramp up investment even further if the money was forthcoming.
But he said a section of the N11 between the Rathnew bypass and Arklow which had seen record numbers of deaths in recent years would be progressed this year, in any event, with the start of a tendering process. Mr Malone also pointed out that by this autumn the upgrade of the M50 would be complete from the M1/M50 junction to Ballymount.
Commenting on the situation Mr Malone said the construction industry would be able to manage the extra contracts involved with the extra €500 million, as it had many more projects lined up for the post-2010 period. But he said 2010 would see enormous benefits for regional tourism with many of the major tourist destinations becoming only a few hours from Dublin by car.
He added that the new motorways and bypasses were "giving towns and villages back to the people" by removing traffic congestion from their main streets.
Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey said that within three years the Republic would have a network "criss-crossing the country which would connect communities" and which would be seven times safer than the roads they replace.
He also said the opening of the new roads would facilitate greater competitiveness, adding that the improvements for business were visible: "Business can do business in a more effective way," he commented.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
M3 route likely to open ahead of 2010 deadline
The controversial M3 motorway in Co Meath is more than one-third complete and likely to open well in advance of its autumn 2010 deadline, the National Roads Authority (NRA) said yesterday.
Speaking at the announcement of NRA spending provisions for 2008, authority chairman Peter Malone revealed construction of the 60km motorway had been divided into four distinct projects by builders the Eurolink consortium. Each of the projects was bidding against the others to be the first to deliver a completed section of motorway, said Mr Malone.
While Mr Malone declined to say exactly when the €900 million M3 was now expected to be completed, he said he had been told this week that 36 per cent of the work had been done.
Construction contracts were signed last March and work began in earnest almost immediately. Extrapolating only on the basis that 36 per cent had been completed in 10 months, construction would take about 27 months altogether, leaving the motorway complete sometime in mid- to late 2009.
However, opponents of the route of the M3 said the battle was far from over yesterday. Vincent Salafia, who took a High Court challenge in a bid to stop the road going ahead, accused the NRA of engaging in "propaganda" instead of addressing the ongoing issues with regard to national monuments and an EU case against Ireland.
"It seems they are basically admitting they have rushed ahead when there is one case before the courts, the serious prospect of a second case and pressure on [Minister for Environment] Mr Gormley to intervene."
Mr Salafia referred to a case being taken against Ireland in the European Court of Justice claiming that a new environmental impact assessment should have been undertaken when the Lismullin archaeological site was discovered.
The motorway will have two tolls and will link Clonee on the Dublin and Meath border with Lisduff on the Cavan side of the Meath/Cavan border. It will include 50km of ancillary roads at a construction cost of €650 million. Funding is provided by the Eurolink shareholders which includes Irish firm SIAC and Concesiones de Infraestructuras de Transporte SA (Cintra). Cintra is a subsidiary of Grupo Ferrovial which was involved in building the N4 motorway, which opened about one year ahead of schedule.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Speaking at the announcement of NRA spending provisions for 2008, authority chairman Peter Malone revealed construction of the 60km motorway had been divided into four distinct projects by builders the Eurolink consortium. Each of the projects was bidding against the others to be the first to deliver a completed section of motorway, said Mr Malone.
While Mr Malone declined to say exactly when the €900 million M3 was now expected to be completed, he said he had been told this week that 36 per cent of the work had been done.
Construction contracts were signed last March and work began in earnest almost immediately. Extrapolating only on the basis that 36 per cent had been completed in 10 months, construction would take about 27 months altogether, leaving the motorway complete sometime in mid- to late 2009.
However, opponents of the route of the M3 said the battle was far from over yesterday. Vincent Salafia, who took a High Court challenge in a bid to stop the road going ahead, accused the NRA of engaging in "propaganda" instead of addressing the ongoing issues with regard to national monuments and an EU case against Ireland.
"It seems they are basically admitting they have rushed ahead when there is one case before the courts, the serious prospect of a second case and pressure on [Minister for Environment] Mr Gormley to intervene."
Mr Salafia referred to a case being taken against Ireland in the European Court of Justice claiming that a new environmental impact assessment should have been undertaken when the Lismullin archaeological site was discovered.
The motorway will have two tolls and will link Clonee on the Dublin and Meath border with Lisduff on the Cavan side of the Meath/Cavan border. It will include 50km of ancillary roads at a construction cost of €650 million. Funding is provided by the Eurolink shareholders which includes Irish firm SIAC and Concesiones de Infraestructuras de Transporte SA (Cintra). Cintra is a subsidiary of Grupo Ferrovial which was involved in building the N4 motorway, which opened about one year ahead of schedule.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Residents concerned over proposed bio-energy plant
RESIDENTS living close to the site of a proposed bio-energy plant in south Tipperary yesterday voiced concerns about the development of a large-scale plant dealing with animal by-products in their locality.
However, the company behind the planned project last night moved to assure locals about the safety of the proposal, pointing to investment “in investigating the safety and efficiency of the proposed process”.
According to consortium Green Organics Energy (GOE) Ltd, “independent and internationally-renowned engineering experts have endorsed the process and recognised the potential for this facility to make a real and significant contribution to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions and our reliance on fossil fuels”.
A number of people from the area around the site of the planned processing facility at Castleblake, Rosegreen — between Clonmel and Cashel — spoke of the smell which emanated from the area when a rendering plant was in operation until 2003.
At a hearing held by An Bord Pleanála, residents said they feared more biological problems if the GOE consortium got the go-ahead for a plant which would process 250,000 tonnes of slaughterhouse by-products each year.
South Tipperary for Clean Industry spokesperson Dr Douglas Butler said the proposal was “derisory” and “extraordinarily insulting” to the people.
He raised the prospect of “bio-security problems” if the anaerobic digestion process planned by GOE for the plant broke down at any point.
Chairman of the Rosegreen Development Association Hugh O’Neill said the smell from the former rendering plant was “pervasive and offensive”.
Local resident Rena Maher said she lived in Rosegreen since 1969, and the air was clean only since the plant formerly operated by National By-Products closed.
“For us it was not fresh air we took in for the last 35 years but stinking smelly air of the factory in Castleblake,” she said. She spoke of when her children were young, being unable to leave prams outside because of the smell from the plant, while clothes outside to dry “would stink from the smell”.
GOE said last night the European Food Safety Authority “have declared this process as proven, safe and effective for the disposal of animal by-products”. The company said the management and disposal of animal by-products is today “a highly regulated area” and GOE would be held “to the highest standards in the construction and operation of this facility”, if given planning permission.
Local TDs Dr Martin Mansergh, Tom Hayes and Michael Lowry gave evidence against the proposed project at the hearing.
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
However, the company behind the planned project last night moved to assure locals about the safety of the proposal, pointing to investment “in investigating the safety and efficiency of the proposed process”.
According to consortium Green Organics Energy (GOE) Ltd, “independent and internationally-renowned engineering experts have endorsed the process and recognised the potential for this facility to make a real and significant contribution to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions and our reliance on fossil fuels”.
A number of people from the area around the site of the planned processing facility at Castleblake, Rosegreen — between Clonmel and Cashel — spoke of the smell which emanated from the area when a rendering plant was in operation until 2003.
At a hearing held by An Bord Pleanála, residents said they feared more biological problems if the GOE consortium got the go-ahead for a plant which would process 250,000 tonnes of slaughterhouse by-products each year.
South Tipperary for Clean Industry spokesperson Dr Douglas Butler said the proposal was “derisory” and “extraordinarily insulting” to the people.
He raised the prospect of “bio-security problems” if the anaerobic digestion process planned by GOE for the plant broke down at any point.
Chairman of the Rosegreen Development Association Hugh O’Neill said the smell from the former rendering plant was “pervasive and offensive”.
Local resident Rena Maher said she lived in Rosegreen since 1969, and the air was clean only since the plant formerly operated by National By-Products closed.
“For us it was not fresh air we took in for the last 35 years but stinking smelly air of the factory in Castleblake,” she said. She spoke of when her children were young, being unable to leave prams outside because of the smell from the plant, while clothes outside to dry “would stink from the smell”.
GOE said last night the European Food Safety Authority “have declared this process as proven, safe and effective for the disposal of animal by-products”. The company said the management and disposal of animal by-products is today “a highly regulated area” and GOE would be held “to the highest standards in the construction and operation of this facility”, if given planning permission.
Local TDs Dr Martin Mansergh, Tom Hayes and Michael Lowry gave evidence against the proposed project at the hearing.
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
Friday, 25 January 2008
Bird will not affect planning
Environment Minister John Gormley has moved to allay farmers' and landowners' concerns that the presence of the protected bird of prey, the Hen Harrier will not be cited as grounds by his department for the refusal of planning permission for one-off homes.
Last year he announced 169,000 hectares of land are to be designated Special Protection Areas for the protection of the Hen Harrier.
The NPWS states "the main threat to the long-term survival of Hen Harriers within the site is further afforestation".
The designation affects 5,500 farmers and landowners in six sites in counties Kerry, Cork, Limerick, Laois, Offaly, Monaghan, Tipperary, Galway and Clare.
The largest SPA is located in the north-east Clare-south Galway area in the Slieve Aughty mountains and involves the designation of 61,000 hectares where the National Parks and Wildlife Service believe 24 pairs of Hen Harrier are present or 17% of the overall Hen Harrier population in Ireland of 130-150 pairs.
The NPWS states "the main threat to the long-term survival of Hen Harriers within the site is further afforestation".
In a letter to Clare County Manager, Alec Fleming, the Director of NWPS, Oonagh Buckley stated she has been directed by Mr Gormley to advise the council "where the Hen Harrier is the sole conservation interest in the SPA, the SPA designation should not be cited as grounds for refusing permission for development of single rural houses within the SPA".
She said scientific advice suggests the development of single rural dwellings does not represent a threat to the bird.
Cllr Pat Hayes (FF) states there are fears the SPA restriction will result in the devaluation of properties and negatively affect farming practices.
Landowners wishing to object to the SPA designations have until February 8 to do so.
Gordon Doogan
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
Last year he announced 169,000 hectares of land are to be designated Special Protection Areas for the protection of the Hen Harrier.
The NPWS states "the main threat to the long-term survival of Hen Harriers within the site is further afforestation".
The designation affects 5,500 farmers and landowners in six sites in counties Kerry, Cork, Limerick, Laois, Offaly, Monaghan, Tipperary, Galway and Clare.
The largest SPA is located in the north-east Clare-south Galway area in the Slieve Aughty mountains and involves the designation of 61,000 hectares where the National Parks and Wildlife Service believe 24 pairs of Hen Harrier are present or 17% of the overall Hen Harrier population in Ireland of 130-150 pairs.
The NPWS states "the main threat to the long-term survival of Hen Harriers within the site is further afforestation".
In a letter to Clare County Manager, Alec Fleming, the Director of NWPS, Oonagh Buckley stated she has been directed by Mr Gormley to advise the council "where the Hen Harrier is the sole conservation interest in the SPA, the SPA designation should not be cited as grounds for refusing permission for development of single rural houses within the SPA".
She said scientific advice suggests the development of single rural dwellings does not represent a threat to the bird.
Cllr Pat Hayes (FF) states there are fears the SPA restriction will result in the devaluation of properties and negatively affect farming practices.
Landowners wishing to object to the SPA designations have until February 8 to do so.
Gordon Doogan
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
Safety risk to drivers as tiles fall from roof of Port Tunnel
THE sound-proofing roof tiles in the €751m Dublin Port Tunnel are set to be removed -- because they keep falling down and won't stick on.
Hundreds of foam tiles on the roof of the tunnel are to be taken down this weekend after they started to fall down on trucks, sparking potential safety concerns.
More than 300 metres of the soundproofing tiles will be removed and the area painted instead.
When the foam tiles starting falling down there were immediate concerns that there was a potential safety risk as drivers might believe they were concrete and swerve suddenly to avoid them.
When the authorities tried to stick them back up, they just fell down again. The tiles cover part of the side walls and the roof of the tunnel for the first 150 metres in each direction and were designed to reduce the noise of the trucks as they entered and left the tunnel.
But the National Roads Authority (NRA) decided they were also of limited use for this purpose and the falling tiles caused major maintenance headaches.
Cost
A NRA spokesman said the cost involved in removing the tiles would not be significant and would be accommodated in the maintenance budget for the tunnel.
The authority said that as part of the tunnel construction, acoustic foam tiles were placed on the roof of the tunnel for 150 metres on either approach to evaluate their effectiveness in absorbing the noise of vehicles passing through. The NRA said they reviewed the effectiveness of the tiles and concluded they were of limited value.
The tiles were also causing a significant workload as they kept falling off and had to be stuck back on.
However, even with the adhesive, the tiles continued to fall off.
The upshot is that the authority decided to remove the tiles and coat the empty spaces with ceramic paint. The operation will take place tonight and tomorrow during the routine night-time shutdown for maintenance.
The tunnel, which opened in December 2006 at a cost of €751m, has removed more than 6,000 trucks from the city's quays.
However, the truckers are forced instead to use the congested M50 to access the tunnel and Dublin Port.
Treacy Hogan
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Hundreds of foam tiles on the roof of the tunnel are to be taken down this weekend after they started to fall down on trucks, sparking potential safety concerns.
More than 300 metres of the soundproofing tiles will be removed and the area painted instead.
When the foam tiles starting falling down there were immediate concerns that there was a potential safety risk as drivers might believe they were concrete and swerve suddenly to avoid them.
When the authorities tried to stick them back up, they just fell down again. The tiles cover part of the side walls and the roof of the tunnel for the first 150 metres in each direction and were designed to reduce the noise of the trucks as they entered and left the tunnel.
But the National Roads Authority (NRA) decided they were also of limited use for this purpose and the falling tiles caused major maintenance headaches.
Cost
A NRA spokesman said the cost involved in removing the tiles would not be significant and would be accommodated in the maintenance budget for the tunnel.
The authority said that as part of the tunnel construction, acoustic foam tiles were placed on the roof of the tunnel for 150 metres on either approach to evaluate their effectiveness in absorbing the noise of vehicles passing through. The NRA said they reviewed the effectiveness of the tiles and concluded they were of limited value.
The tiles were also causing a significant workload as they kept falling off and had to be stuck back on.
However, even with the adhesive, the tiles continued to fall off.
The upshot is that the authority decided to remove the tiles and coat the empty spaces with ceramic paint. The operation will take place tonight and tomorrow during the routine night-time shutdown for maintenance.
The tunnel, which opened in December 2006 at a cost of €751m, has removed more than 6,000 trucks from the city's quays.
However, the truckers are forced instead to use the congested M50 to access the tunnel and Dublin Port.
Treacy Hogan
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Climate plan to cost 1bn Euro per year but inaction 'will cost more'
A RAFT of new targets introduced to tackle climate change are set to cost Ireland around €1bn per year.
On average, every person in the EU will pay €3 per week towards the ambitious plan which amounts to over €12m each week in Ireland alone.
The cost of the overall EU plan works out at an average of 0.5pc of EU gross domestic product (GDP), meaning Ireland could face an even bigger annual bill, according to European Commission estimates.
This would be over €900m using current figures.
The cost of doing nothing to slash greenhouse gases would be even more costly, the Commission warned yesterday.
While the measures would cost all European consumers, Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said: "The cost of inaction is up to 10 times more than what we are proposing."
Laying out a sweeping strategy to fight climate change, the Commission called on EU members to use renewable energy and biofuels while unveiling plans to make industry pay for the right to pollute.
The implementation of the climate change package will cost the EU bloc an estimated €60bn.
President Barroso tried to dampen fears that this would harm the competitiveness of European companies.
"Responding to climate change is the ultimate political test for our generation," Barroso said.
"Our package not only responds to this challenge, but holds the right answer to the challenge of energy security, and is an opportunity that should create thousands of new businesses and millions of jobs," he added.
The measures are designed to put into action the aim set by EU leaders last year to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 20pc by 2020, compared to 1990 levels. Member states gave a mixed reaction, with Germany expressing concern that the plan could lead to job losses.
Gareth Morgan
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
On average, every person in the EU will pay €3 per week towards the ambitious plan which amounts to over €12m each week in Ireland alone.
The cost of the overall EU plan works out at an average of 0.5pc of EU gross domestic product (GDP), meaning Ireland could face an even bigger annual bill, according to European Commission estimates.
This would be over €900m using current figures.
The cost of doing nothing to slash greenhouse gases would be even more costly, the Commission warned yesterday.
While the measures would cost all European consumers, Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said: "The cost of inaction is up to 10 times more than what we are proposing."
Laying out a sweeping strategy to fight climate change, the Commission called on EU members to use renewable energy and biofuels while unveiling plans to make industry pay for the right to pollute.
The implementation of the climate change package will cost the EU bloc an estimated €60bn.
President Barroso tried to dampen fears that this would harm the competitiveness of European companies.
"Responding to climate change is the ultimate political test for our generation," Barroso said.
"Our package not only responds to this challenge, but holds the right answer to the challenge of energy security, and is an opportunity that should create thousands of new businesses and millions of jobs," he added.
The measures are designed to put into action the aim set by EU leaders last year to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 20pc by 2020, compared to 1990 levels. Member states gave a mixed reaction, with Germany expressing concern that the plan could lead to job losses.
Gareth Morgan
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
€400m plan will create 1,000 jobs in masterplan for troubled Shannon area
An ambitious €400m plan to create 1,000 jobs in Shannon over the next 15 years was unveiled yesterday.
The blueprint aims to create a new town centre on a 90-acre site in an area still reeling from the Aer Lingus decision to axe Heathrow flights from Shannon Airport.
The proposals include plans for a new main street and town square, as well as a civic arts centre, hotel, civic park, a primary school, clinic and an enterprise school.
The plan was prepared on behalf of Clare County Council by Murray O Laoire Architects.
"The completed Masterplan contains an overall vision, planning framework and design guidance on the best potential development of the lands as an extension of the town centre area in Shannon,'' said Clare County Council's senior executive planner, John Bradley.
"Shannon has all the traits of a suburb and few of the qualities of a town. The community needs a place and space that brings things and people together."
The proposals also include 1,500 underground car-parking spaces, a network of pedestrian and cycling routes as well as technology to achieve the greatest energy efficiency.
Other green energy initiatives in the blueprint include solar panels and rain water harvesting, and five hectares of parklands and wetlands of parklands.
The Shannon Masterplan will go on public display in the town today. It must be approved by members of Shannon Town Council and Clare County Council before construction can begin.
Senan Hogan
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
The blueprint aims to create a new town centre on a 90-acre site in an area still reeling from the Aer Lingus decision to axe Heathrow flights from Shannon Airport.
The proposals include plans for a new main street and town square, as well as a civic arts centre, hotel, civic park, a primary school, clinic and an enterprise school.
The plan was prepared on behalf of Clare County Council by Murray O Laoire Architects.
"The completed Masterplan contains an overall vision, planning framework and design guidance on the best potential development of the lands as an extension of the town centre area in Shannon,'' said Clare County Council's senior executive planner, John Bradley.
"Shannon has all the traits of a suburb and few of the qualities of a town. The community needs a place and space that brings things and people together."
The proposals also include 1,500 underground car-parking spaces, a network of pedestrian and cycling routes as well as technology to achieve the greatest energy efficiency.
Other green energy initiatives in the blueprint include solar panels and rain water harvesting, and five hectares of parklands and wetlands of parklands.
The Shannon Masterplan will go on public display in the town today. It must be approved by members of Shannon Town Council and Clare County Council before construction can begin.
Senan Hogan
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
New golf club house at 437-acre Skerries demesne
A subsidiary of Treasury Holdings has been given the green light by Fingal County Council to change part of a major tourism development at the 437-acre Milverton Demesne in Skerries, Co Dublin.
The developer has been granted a change of use for Home Farm House on the grounds of the demesne from the previously permitted equestrian centre to a golf club house. It has also got approval to realign 200 metres of a local road running from east of the entrance of the house to the junction of the Balcunnin to Blackhills Road at St Mobhi's Well. The golf course at Home Farm will also be extended by 29 acres.
Also in north Co Dublin, Balscadden Developments Ltd has been granted permission for a development of 181 houses and apartments at Flemington Lane in Balbriggan, Co Dublin.
This will comprise a mix of apartments and two, three and four-bed terraced, semi-detached and detached houses.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
The developer has been granted a change of use for Home Farm House on the grounds of the demesne from the previously permitted equestrian centre to a golf club house. It has also got approval to realign 200 metres of a local road running from east of the entrance of the house to the junction of the Balcunnin to Blackhills Road at St Mobhi's Well. The golf course at Home Farm will also be extended by 29 acres.
Also in north Co Dublin, Balscadden Developments Ltd has been granted permission for a development of 181 houses and apartments at Flemington Lane in Balbriggan, Co Dublin.
This will comprise a mix of apartments and two, three and four-bed terraced, semi-detached and detached houses.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Locals appeal plan for 47 homes at Dalkey school
A proposal by a fee-paying school in Dalkey, Co Dublin to build a residential development on its grounds has been opposed by locals.
Castle Park school was granted permission by Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council in December for 47 houses and apartments on a 3.7-acre part of the school grounds behind Mackey's Garden Centre.
However, a number of local groups and individuals - including Dalkey Community Council, Castlelands Residents Association and the residents of Castle Close - have appealed the planning permission to An Bord Pleanála.The school has sold off portions of its landholding at Castlepark Road for residential development over the years.
In the case of the current proposal, it is believed the school struck a deal to develop the lands with a consortium of developers, including David Arnold, for around €10 million subject to planning permission. The proceeds are to contribute towards a redevelopment of the school which involves new teaching and sporting facilities.
In its letter to the planning board, Dalkey Community Council says the four to five-storey height of one of the residential buildings proposed is out of character with the surrounding architecture and will cause overlooking of houses in Castleclose.
Increased traffic on Castlepark Road is also an issue and it says a residential development would compromise the setting of the school, where the woodlands are an integral part of the landscape.
In 2006 the school was refused permission for 81 residential units on the site by An Bord Pleanála board who said the height, layout and scale of the development would seriously injure adjacent houses.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Castle Park school was granted permission by Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council in December for 47 houses and apartments on a 3.7-acre part of the school grounds behind Mackey's Garden Centre.
However, a number of local groups and individuals - including Dalkey Community Council, Castlelands Residents Association and the residents of Castle Close - have appealed the planning permission to An Bord Pleanála.The school has sold off portions of its landholding at Castlepark Road for residential development over the years.
In the case of the current proposal, it is believed the school struck a deal to develop the lands with a consortium of developers, including David Arnold, for around €10 million subject to planning permission. The proceeds are to contribute towards a redevelopment of the school which involves new teaching and sporting facilities.
In its letter to the planning board, Dalkey Community Council says the four to five-storey height of one of the residential buildings proposed is out of character with the surrounding architecture and will cause overlooking of houses in Castleclose.
Increased traffic on Castlepark Road is also an issue and it says a residential development would compromise the setting of the school, where the woodlands are an integral part of the landscape.
In 2006 the school was refused permission for 81 residential units on the site by An Bord Pleanála board who said the height, layout and scale of the development would seriously injure adjacent houses.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Plan to alter protected Dalkey house appealed
A Dalkey man is challenging a proposal to renovate Santa Maria (a protected structure) on Cunningham Road, Dalkey because he says it will irretrievably alter the house which is of "architectural, historic and social importance".
In his appeal to An Bord Pleanála, John Bolton with an address on nearby Cunningham Drive, also disputes that the proposed works to Santa Maria are "minor" as described in the planning application.
He says they have a floor area of over 66sq m, (700sq ft) including a partially glazed double height extension with an internal mezzanine floor and provide for the division of the protected structure into two dwellings.
Santa Maria, formerly called Enderly, was built by noted Dalkey builder John Cunningham in the 1890s.
Playwright Hugh Leonard's father worked as a gardener on the estate when it was owned by the Jacobs family and couturier Marjorie Boland bought it after the second World War and changed the name to Santa Maria.
Bolton says the current planning application is the latest in a series "leading to a step by step alteration of the nature and amenities of the protected structure".
In July a group of investors paid over €20 million for a ready-to-go site to the rear of the house with planning permission for 24 homes in the rear garden of the Victorian house.
It had previously been purchased at auction in 2005 by developers Wesley Curran and Graham O'Donnell of Otranto Properties for just under €10 million.
It is believed that the developers intend to sell the house - which stands on 0.6 acres - after it is refurbished.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
In his appeal to An Bord Pleanála, John Bolton with an address on nearby Cunningham Drive, also disputes that the proposed works to Santa Maria are "minor" as described in the planning application.
He says they have a floor area of over 66sq m, (700sq ft) including a partially glazed double height extension with an internal mezzanine floor and provide for the division of the protected structure into two dwellings.
Santa Maria, formerly called Enderly, was built by noted Dalkey builder John Cunningham in the 1890s.
Playwright Hugh Leonard's father worked as a gardener on the estate when it was owned by the Jacobs family and couturier Marjorie Boland bought it after the second World War and changed the name to Santa Maria.
Bolton says the current planning application is the latest in a series "leading to a step by step alteration of the nature and amenities of the protected structure".
In July a group of investors paid over €20 million for a ready-to-go site to the rear of the house with planning permission for 24 homes in the rear garden of the Victorian house.
It had previously been purchased at auction in 2005 by developers Wesley Curran and Graham O'Donnell of Otranto Properties for just under €10 million.
It is believed that the developers intend to sell the house - which stands on 0.6 acres - after it is refurbished.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Tower of 26 storeys for D12 retail park
The Fitzwilliam Partnership is about to submit a long anticipated planning application to build a massive mixed-use development at the Royal Liver Retail Park on the Naas Road, Dublin 12 which includes a 26-storey element.
In 2005 the Fitzwilliam Partnership - which is controlled by ?? - bought the ailing retail park from Royal Liver Assurance for €60 million - €15 million over its guide price. The park, which opened in 1990, was one of the first of its kind in the country.
The developer is proposing to demolish the retail park and build a high density residential and commercial development of nearly 100,000sq m (1.076 million sq ft) on the 8.7-acre site, which is close to the Luas.
Spread over 18 blocks, the development mostly ranges in height from five to 11 storeys. This includes a 191-bed hotel, a medical centre, banking hall, public library and nearly 2,230sq m (24,000sq ft) of offices. There would also be a 26-storey building with 75 apart-hotel suites, a communal sky garden and an observation deck on the 24th storey.
The developer is also looking to build 248 apartments, 35 shops and commercial units, and 1,076 basement car-parking spaces. Access to the site would be at three points on the Old Naas Road to the north and two on the Naas Road to the south of the site.
As with Sandyford Industrial Estate, the arrival of the Luas has seen the owners of industrial sites and businesses along the Naas and Longmile roads re-evaluate their potential as high density residential developments. A detailed urban design masterplan has been earmarked for this area which is seen as one of the most important gateway corridors in Dublin.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
In 2005 the Fitzwilliam Partnership - which is controlled by ?? - bought the ailing retail park from Royal Liver Assurance for €60 million - €15 million over its guide price. The park, which opened in 1990, was one of the first of its kind in the country.
The developer is proposing to demolish the retail park and build a high density residential and commercial development of nearly 100,000sq m (1.076 million sq ft) on the 8.7-acre site, which is close to the Luas.
Spread over 18 blocks, the development mostly ranges in height from five to 11 storeys. This includes a 191-bed hotel, a medical centre, banking hall, public library and nearly 2,230sq m (24,000sq ft) of offices. There would also be a 26-storey building with 75 apart-hotel suites, a communal sky garden and an observation deck on the 24th storey.
The developer is also looking to build 248 apartments, 35 shops and commercial units, and 1,076 basement car-parking spaces. Access to the site would be at three points on the Old Naas Road to the north and two on the Naas Road to the south of the site.
As with Sandyford Industrial Estate, the arrival of the Luas has seen the owners of industrial sites and businesses along the Naas and Longmile roads re-evaluate their potential as high density residential developments. A detailed urban design masterplan has been earmarked for this area which is seen as one of the most important gateway corridors in Dublin.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
An Taisce appeals Mansfield's centre
An Taisce has appealed a decision by South Dublin County Council to grant permission to Jim Mansfield's HSS Developments to retain and complete a partially constructed convention centre at his Citywest hotel complex in Saggart, Co Dublin.
An Taisce says Mansfield's proposal does not address the grounds of two previous decisions to refuse planning permission for the development by An Bord Pleanála.
In its appeal letter to the planning board, An Taisce says the Citywest site is not identified as a location for a major convention centre in the National Spatial Strategy for Ireland 2002, the National Development Plan 2007-2013 or the Strategic Planning Guidelines for the greater Dublin area.
It refers to a submission by the National Roads Authority which says the proposal has the potential "to have a negative effect on the operation/capacity of the N7".
An Taisce says it does not consider that Mansfield's company has adequately addressed or resolved this concern and says, notwithstanding the proposed Luas extension to Citywest, it "has failed to put forward an adequate mobility strategy to obviate traffic congestion and unsustainable car dependence on the site".
Another concern is that the development will have an impact on nearby Tassagart House, a protected structure.
Last April Mansfield scaled back his plans to a 4,000-capacity convention centre at a cost of €70 million to €90 million covering 7,500sq m (80,729sq ft).
This came almost a year after An Bord Pleanála refused him permission to build a significantly larger, 6,000-capacity conference facility following appeals by An Taisce, the Heritage Body, and businessman Harry Crosbie, who runs the Point.
Mansfield had previously built a steel-frame structure for the building without permission. In 2004 his company was fined €1,750 and ordered to pay costs of almost €30,000 to the council after Tallaght District Court found it had failed to comply with an enforcement order by the council to stop work on the centre.
An Bord Pleanála subsequently overturned the original planning permission.
However, a subsequent vote by councillors backing completion of the centre paved the way for Mansfield to submit another planning application to continue and retain the development.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
An Taisce says Mansfield's proposal does not address the grounds of two previous decisions to refuse planning permission for the development by An Bord Pleanála.
In its appeal letter to the planning board, An Taisce says the Citywest site is not identified as a location for a major convention centre in the National Spatial Strategy for Ireland 2002, the National Development Plan 2007-2013 or the Strategic Planning Guidelines for the greater Dublin area.
It refers to a submission by the National Roads Authority which says the proposal has the potential "to have a negative effect on the operation/capacity of the N7".
An Taisce says it does not consider that Mansfield's company has adequately addressed or resolved this concern and says, notwithstanding the proposed Luas extension to Citywest, it "has failed to put forward an adequate mobility strategy to obviate traffic congestion and unsustainable car dependence on the site".
Another concern is that the development will have an impact on nearby Tassagart House, a protected structure.
Last April Mansfield scaled back his plans to a 4,000-capacity convention centre at a cost of €70 million to €90 million covering 7,500sq m (80,729sq ft).
This came almost a year after An Bord Pleanála refused him permission to build a significantly larger, 6,000-capacity conference facility following appeals by An Taisce, the Heritage Body, and businessman Harry Crosbie, who runs the Point.
Mansfield had previously built a steel-frame structure for the building without permission. In 2004 his company was fined €1,750 and ordered to pay costs of almost €30,000 to the council after Tallaght District Court found it had failed to comply with an enforcement order by the council to stop work on the centre.
An Bord Pleanála subsequently overturned the original planning permission.
However, a subsequent vote by councillors backing completion of the centre paved the way for Mansfield to submit another planning application to continue and retain the development.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Good design makes you happy, says new city architect
The new Dublin City Architect, Ali Grehan, wants to make the city more people friendly, writes Emma Cullinan
IN JUST eight years Ali Grehan has gone from joining Ballymun Regeneration as an architect to becoming Dublin City Architect, a job she took up this week. I put it to her that her rise has been swift. "Meteoric?" she asks.
"I had valuable experience in both the public and private sector and I think that was recognised but I also think what swung it was my love of Dublin and because I live in the city centre I see how things work and what can be done that is within reach."
Her appointment came as a surprise to some in the architecture world, as there were those who had spent longer in the public sector and who seemed positioned to take the job. The experience Grehan talks about includes a stint in London with Greenhill Jenner Architects, working on projects for Lambeth Borough, and Brixton in particular.
Most recently she has been chief architect at Ballymun Regeneration and I speak to her on her penultimate day in her office overlooking Ballymun's main street and across the city to the Dublin Mountains.
There are huge colour-coded maps on the wall showing how Ballymun has changed - and will continue to transform.
In 1964 there were just a few farms here, and then the blocks went up, extending from the centre like octopus tentacles in what could have been a visionary form but were in fact dictated by land tenure: the social housing skirted privately owned fields.
Despite its tower blocks, Ballymun is a low density area but that is changing. Grehan points to a chart showing how it will look in a few years time, following lots of infilling of dead spaces, with parks designed into the plan.
So Grehan has seen how - on a smaller scale than Dublin as a whole - a town can be transformed and the effect that has on people.
"One girl who moved out of a flat in one of the blocks to a house was thrilled that she didn't have to walk down the communal stairs in her beautiful debs' dress. Instead she could walk straight out of her own front door onto the street."
Yet Grehan has also been reminded that some people prefer apartments. In one scheme designed by Ballymun Regeneration there was a combination of houses and apartments and people could choose which they wanted.
"People preferred the apartments because those homes felt more spacious, being on one level with large balconies. They were grouped around a shared courtyard giving people the best of every world. It achieved a balance between their need for a private area but they could also feel connected to other apartments as part of a micro community of nine families within a larger scheme."
And it is people Grehan wants to concentrate on in her new role. Right from moving to her new office where, she says, establishing relationships with staff will be one of the most important things initially, while also creating a city that has places for people.
She says that cities which work best are those with distinct neighbourhoods that are connected. "Connected cities are about more that good public transport, although that is vital, it is about having a successful public realm that people enjoy walking through and where they feel at ease.
"Neighbourhoods are at the centre of urban life: the connection that people have with their place is so important," says Grehan. "Part of that is about making an area a destination. For instance, people can go out for a meal in the evening in Ranelagh but not in Phibsborough, despite the latter being a nice place to live."
People like to do things in their own area, says Grehan who realises that architects can't change people's quality of life on their own but they do have a role to play: "Architects can't create society, they merely reflect it."
After returning from London Grehan worked in private practice, with Richard Hurley, as well as a stint on her own, "on a small scale", before joining the architectural team at the Luas which, she says, helped her learn about working on a large scale and the joys of connecting up the city. The Luas showed how successful good design could be, she says. "In every area of life we understand that if something is well designed, we will love it, we will use it and enjoy it, and if it is badly designed we won't want to do any of those things."
Yet despite its success at connecting up parts of Dublin, the Luas has a glaring gap. That is a clear case, says Grehan, of how traffic dominates planning: it was thought that College Green couldn't be crossed by the tram because it was needed for cars, buses and trucks.
She has just been reading Niall McCullough's book Dublin An Urban History and loved the old pictures of College Green. While there was traffic on it then - in the form of horse-drawn carriages and trams - she says that striking thing was the lack of signage.
"In the city, people space is going to car space," she says, expressing a need to reclaim pockets of the city for people without wheels.
Her new job means that she will now be able to walk to work from the house she shares with her second husband - an architect who is doing a masters in urban design - and teenaged children. The ability to get around on public transport, feet and bicycles is what city living is about she says - quoting a recent draft paper that said the average carbon footprint of a city dweller was 8.5 tonnes a year and that of a country resident was 11.3 tonnes.
Her love for good cities is in her blood: her Spanish mother grew up in Madrid, with her five brothers and sisters, in a city centre apartment beside Mataro Park.
"I remember visiting it and being entranced by this generous apartment with lots of timber. It was a lovely place and shows how it can work."
The park was just as important as the apartment. "I'm interested in good places. I don't see the city as a collection of buildings but as a series of places. The spaces between the buildings are important too."
And when it comes to buildings, what is her take on employing architects from abroad? "We have excellent architects practising in Ireland. We are hugely competent and know that we can do it as well as, or better, than anyone else. But it is good to have an exchange of ideas and as architects we have benefited from working abroad and bringing design ideas back. Hopefully Irish architects will continue to get major international projects and I assume architects from abroad are anxious to work in Ireland.
"It is really a case of finding the right architect for a particular commission."
Her predecessor, Jim Barrett, who was given a lifetime achievement award in the most recent Opus Architecture and Construction Awards, was, she says: "A ferociously good ambassador for architecture. The work he did, along with the then city manager and planner, has put Dublin on the map.
"I want to take the wonderful work that has been done, consolidate it and concentrate on the public realm. The pace of change has been extraordinary and we need to continue that in a measured way. We see successful examples of cities everywhere, where people are on the streets playing and talking to each other. I would like to get the ordinary things right and have places for living, working, meeting and talking.
"Don't we want Dublin to be a city for us? And it can be if it is well designed."
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
IN JUST eight years Ali Grehan has gone from joining Ballymun Regeneration as an architect to becoming Dublin City Architect, a job she took up this week. I put it to her that her rise has been swift. "Meteoric?" she asks.
"I had valuable experience in both the public and private sector and I think that was recognised but I also think what swung it was my love of Dublin and because I live in the city centre I see how things work and what can be done that is within reach."
Her appointment came as a surprise to some in the architecture world, as there were those who had spent longer in the public sector and who seemed positioned to take the job. The experience Grehan talks about includes a stint in London with Greenhill Jenner Architects, working on projects for Lambeth Borough, and Brixton in particular.
Most recently she has been chief architect at Ballymun Regeneration and I speak to her on her penultimate day in her office overlooking Ballymun's main street and across the city to the Dublin Mountains.
There are huge colour-coded maps on the wall showing how Ballymun has changed - and will continue to transform.
In 1964 there were just a few farms here, and then the blocks went up, extending from the centre like octopus tentacles in what could have been a visionary form but were in fact dictated by land tenure: the social housing skirted privately owned fields.
Despite its tower blocks, Ballymun is a low density area but that is changing. Grehan points to a chart showing how it will look in a few years time, following lots of infilling of dead spaces, with parks designed into the plan.
So Grehan has seen how - on a smaller scale than Dublin as a whole - a town can be transformed and the effect that has on people.
"One girl who moved out of a flat in one of the blocks to a house was thrilled that she didn't have to walk down the communal stairs in her beautiful debs' dress. Instead she could walk straight out of her own front door onto the street."
Yet Grehan has also been reminded that some people prefer apartments. In one scheme designed by Ballymun Regeneration there was a combination of houses and apartments and people could choose which they wanted.
"People preferred the apartments because those homes felt more spacious, being on one level with large balconies. They were grouped around a shared courtyard giving people the best of every world. It achieved a balance between their need for a private area but they could also feel connected to other apartments as part of a micro community of nine families within a larger scheme."
And it is people Grehan wants to concentrate on in her new role. Right from moving to her new office where, she says, establishing relationships with staff will be one of the most important things initially, while also creating a city that has places for people.
She says that cities which work best are those with distinct neighbourhoods that are connected. "Connected cities are about more that good public transport, although that is vital, it is about having a successful public realm that people enjoy walking through and where they feel at ease.
"Neighbourhoods are at the centre of urban life: the connection that people have with their place is so important," says Grehan. "Part of that is about making an area a destination. For instance, people can go out for a meal in the evening in Ranelagh but not in Phibsborough, despite the latter being a nice place to live."
People like to do things in their own area, says Grehan who realises that architects can't change people's quality of life on their own but they do have a role to play: "Architects can't create society, they merely reflect it."
After returning from London Grehan worked in private practice, with Richard Hurley, as well as a stint on her own, "on a small scale", before joining the architectural team at the Luas which, she says, helped her learn about working on a large scale and the joys of connecting up the city. The Luas showed how successful good design could be, she says. "In every area of life we understand that if something is well designed, we will love it, we will use it and enjoy it, and if it is badly designed we won't want to do any of those things."
Yet despite its success at connecting up parts of Dublin, the Luas has a glaring gap. That is a clear case, says Grehan, of how traffic dominates planning: it was thought that College Green couldn't be crossed by the tram because it was needed for cars, buses and trucks.
She has just been reading Niall McCullough's book Dublin An Urban History and loved the old pictures of College Green. While there was traffic on it then - in the form of horse-drawn carriages and trams - she says that striking thing was the lack of signage.
"In the city, people space is going to car space," she says, expressing a need to reclaim pockets of the city for people without wheels.
Her new job means that she will now be able to walk to work from the house she shares with her second husband - an architect who is doing a masters in urban design - and teenaged children. The ability to get around on public transport, feet and bicycles is what city living is about she says - quoting a recent draft paper that said the average carbon footprint of a city dweller was 8.5 tonnes a year and that of a country resident was 11.3 tonnes.
Her love for good cities is in her blood: her Spanish mother grew up in Madrid, with her five brothers and sisters, in a city centre apartment beside Mataro Park.
"I remember visiting it and being entranced by this generous apartment with lots of timber. It was a lovely place and shows how it can work."
The park was just as important as the apartment. "I'm interested in good places. I don't see the city as a collection of buildings but as a series of places. The spaces between the buildings are important too."
And when it comes to buildings, what is her take on employing architects from abroad? "We have excellent architects practising in Ireland. We are hugely competent and know that we can do it as well as, or better, than anyone else. But it is good to have an exchange of ideas and as architects we have benefited from working abroad and bringing design ideas back. Hopefully Irish architects will continue to get major international projects and I assume architects from abroad are anxious to work in Ireland.
"It is really a case of finding the right architect for a particular commission."
Her predecessor, Jim Barrett, who was given a lifetime achievement award in the most recent Opus Architecture and Construction Awards, was, she says: "A ferociously good ambassador for architecture. The work he did, along with the then city manager and planner, has put Dublin on the map.
"I want to take the wonderful work that has been done, consolidate it and concentrate on the public realm. The pace of change has been extraordinary and we need to continue that in a measured way. We see successful examples of cities everywhere, where people are on the streets playing and talking to each other. I would like to get the ordinary things right and have places for living, working, meeting and talking.
"Don't we want Dublin to be a city for us? And it can be if it is well designed."
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Lawyers for stables denounce plans for bioenergy facility
The legal team for John Magnier's Coolmore Stud and Ballydoyle Stables has denounced plans for a bioenergy plant in south Tipperary as "fundamentally unsuitable" for the location and the "antithesis of good planning".
Barrister Donal O'Donnell told the second day of a Bord Pleanála hearing yesterday that a "tranquil, pristine, rural environment" close to "the greatest racing stables in the world" was "the last place on earth" where one would choose to build such a facility.
Mr O'Donnell accused Green Organics Energy Ltd, the company hoping to build the facility, of "planning opportunism" and said there was a "disturbing inconsistency and instability" about its proposals. He said it had not chosen the site in Rosegreen for its planning merits but because of its historical use for animal rendering.
The company wants to process animal byproducts from meat-processing factories and other biodegradable waste and create "green" electricity and biodiesel. Avglade/ National-By-Products, one of the companies behind the venture, owns the site and operated a rendering business there until the end of 2003.
Earlier, Rory Brady SC, for Green Organics Energy, called on a expert witnesses support the company's case. He introduced consultants from Germany who said the technology to be used in the Tipperary plant was fully compliant with EU legislation and was being used safely and effectively in many European countries.
Dr Udo Dinglreiter, from the Bavarian engineering company R. Scheuchl, said his company had installed the technology in a similar plant in Germany and that he was "not aware of any complaint of any citizen living close to the plant".
Moreover, an Irish veterinary expert said the proposed facility posed no threat to horses if it is managed properly. Dr Kevin Dodd, a former lecturer at UCD's veterinary college, told the hearing that his specialist area of interest is "the assessment of the impact of agri-industrial developments on animal health in the receiving environment".
He said horses in the area had been exposed to an adjacent rendering plant for many years without any negative health consequences.
Responding to concerns that leaks from the plant could contaminate water supplies and a local river, he said spreading cattle slurry on land was "much more likely to contaminate water courses".
He also addressed fears that have been expressed by Aidan O'Brien, the trainer at Ballydoyle, who said that racehorses were very sensitive to air quality.
Dr Dodd pointed out that "the greatest source of dust for horses arises from their own environment such as straw bedding, hay or the fabric of the stable building".
Paul Barrett, project manager at Green Organics Energy, urged the Government to support the bioenergy plant which he said was the type of facility which was required "if Ireland is to meet the ambitious renewable energy targets" set out by the European Commission.
Mr O'Donnell, however, accused Green Organics of an attempt to "wrap the application in the green safety blanket of Kyoto".
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Barrister Donal O'Donnell told the second day of a Bord Pleanála hearing yesterday that a "tranquil, pristine, rural environment" close to "the greatest racing stables in the world" was "the last place on earth" where one would choose to build such a facility.
Mr O'Donnell accused Green Organics Energy Ltd, the company hoping to build the facility, of "planning opportunism" and said there was a "disturbing inconsistency and instability" about its proposals. He said it had not chosen the site in Rosegreen for its planning merits but because of its historical use for animal rendering.
The company wants to process animal byproducts from meat-processing factories and other biodegradable waste and create "green" electricity and biodiesel. Avglade/ National-By-Products, one of the companies behind the venture, owns the site and operated a rendering business there until the end of 2003.
Earlier, Rory Brady SC, for Green Organics Energy, called on a expert witnesses support the company's case. He introduced consultants from Germany who said the technology to be used in the Tipperary plant was fully compliant with EU legislation and was being used safely and effectively in many European countries.
Dr Udo Dinglreiter, from the Bavarian engineering company R. Scheuchl, said his company had installed the technology in a similar plant in Germany and that he was "not aware of any complaint of any citizen living close to the plant".
Moreover, an Irish veterinary expert said the proposed facility posed no threat to horses if it is managed properly. Dr Kevin Dodd, a former lecturer at UCD's veterinary college, told the hearing that his specialist area of interest is "the assessment of the impact of agri-industrial developments on animal health in the receiving environment".
He said horses in the area had been exposed to an adjacent rendering plant for many years without any negative health consequences.
Responding to concerns that leaks from the plant could contaminate water supplies and a local river, he said spreading cattle slurry on land was "much more likely to contaminate water courses".
He also addressed fears that have been expressed by Aidan O'Brien, the trainer at Ballydoyle, who said that racehorses were very sensitive to air quality.
Dr Dodd pointed out that "the greatest source of dust for horses arises from their own environment such as straw bedding, hay or the fabric of the stable building".
Paul Barrett, project manager at Green Organics Energy, urged the Government to support the bioenergy plant which he said was the type of facility which was required "if Ireland is to meet the ambitious renewable energy targets" set out by the European Commission.
Mr O'Donnell, however, accused Green Organics of an attempt to "wrap the application in the green safety blanket of Kyoto".
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
County official altered zoning to Timmins land
A Wicklow County Council official has said he was responsible for switching a housing zoning in proposals for a Baltinglass local development plan, which benefited council member Edward Timmins and other members of the Timmins family, including Fine Gael foreign affairs spokesman Billy Timmins.
The council's director of services for planning, Des O'Brien, said he had made the change in the interests of proper planning and development and to consolidate development within the town of Baltinglass.
Mr O'Brien was commenting after councillors last week suspended standing orders to discuss the issue. Independent Baltinglass councillor Tommy Cullen called on Minister for the Environment John Gormley to launch an inquiry.
At the centre of the row is a map produced by planners as part of the drafting process of the Baltinglass local area plan.
The map, dated July 12th last, indicated that land belonging to the family of a local man, Cedric Hendy, was to be designated for housing.
However, a subsequent map dated July 26th indicated the Hendy designation had been switched to agricultural use or green space, while land belonging to the Timmins family, and a neighbouring site, was now designated for new housing.
Mr Cullen told The Irish Times the Hendy land was within 400 yards of the local GAA pitch, a school and a hospital. It was well served by mains drainage, he added.
However, he insisted the area taking in the Timmins lands would require a new bridge across the river Slaney before it could be developed.
The latter parcel of land was rezoned as part of the Baltinglass local area plan adopted on January 7th this year.
Councillor Edward Timmins told The Irish Times yesterday that at all times he declared his interest and absented himself from the vote on the plan.
In a statement he said: "At the county council meeting which discussed the Baltinglass draft plan on January 7th, I declared my interest in any land in Baltinglass and that of my family.
"Where any discussions involved any of these lands, or even land adjacent to these lands, I left the meeting. So I complied fully with all relevant ethics legislation, as I always have done.
"At the county council meeting in December I also declared my interest, but there was no discussion on the plan, just a short five-minute presentation by the planners. "Any zoning of any of the family land was done by the professional planners of Wicklow County Council."
Billy Timmins said his family's land was closer to the centre of town than the Hendy land. It had about 400 metres of road frontage and was served for sewerage and water.
Part of the family land currently had planning permission for 60 houses, he noted.
He also said the zoning proposal was made by the professional planners, "who explained that their preference was for zoning land on the western side of the town in order to encourage the construction of a bridge and ring road for the town".
The statement went on to say the proposals were in line with the views of the Baltinglass forum.
Mr O'Brien, who is the council's director of planning, confirmed the initiative for changing the draft plan had come from him. He said the switch was made in the very early stages before a formal draft plan was established and was done in the interests of proper planning.
A compass pinpointing the centre of Baltinglass would show the Timmins land was closer than the Hendy land, he added.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
The council's director of services for planning, Des O'Brien, said he had made the change in the interests of proper planning and development and to consolidate development within the town of Baltinglass.
Mr O'Brien was commenting after councillors last week suspended standing orders to discuss the issue. Independent Baltinglass councillor Tommy Cullen called on Minister for the Environment John Gormley to launch an inquiry.
At the centre of the row is a map produced by planners as part of the drafting process of the Baltinglass local area plan.
The map, dated July 12th last, indicated that land belonging to the family of a local man, Cedric Hendy, was to be designated for housing.
However, a subsequent map dated July 26th indicated the Hendy designation had been switched to agricultural use or green space, while land belonging to the Timmins family, and a neighbouring site, was now designated for new housing.
Mr Cullen told The Irish Times the Hendy land was within 400 yards of the local GAA pitch, a school and a hospital. It was well served by mains drainage, he added.
However, he insisted the area taking in the Timmins lands would require a new bridge across the river Slaney before it could be developed.
The latter parcel of land was rezoned as part of the Baltinglass local area plan adopted on January 7th this year.
Councillor Edward Timmins told The Irish Times yesterday that at all times he declared his interest and absented himself from the vote on the plan.
In a statement he said: "At the county council meeting which discussed the Baltinglass draft plan on January 7th, I declared my interest in any land in Baltinglass and that of my family.
"Where any discussions involved any of these lands, or even land adjacent to these lands, I left the meeting. So I complied fully with all relevant ethics legislation, as I always have done.
"At the county council meeting in December I also declared my interest, but there was no discussion on the plan, just a short five-minute presentation by the planners. "Any zoning of any of the family land was done by the professional planners of Wicklow County Council."
Billy Timmins said his family's land was closer to the centre of town than the Hendy land. It had about 400 metres of road frontage and was served for sewerage and water.
Part of the family land currently had planning permission for 60 houses, he noted.
He also said the zoning proposal was made by the professional planners, "who explained that their preference was for zoning land on the western side of the town in order to encourage the construction of a bridge and ring road for the town".
The statement went on to say the proposals were in line with the views of the Baltinglass forum.
Mr O'Brien, who is the council's director of planning, confirmed the initiative for changing the draft plan had come from him. He said the switch was made in the very early stages before a formal draft plan was established and was done in the interests of proper planning.
A compass pinpointing the centre of Baltinglass would show the Timmins land was closer than the Hendy land, he added.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Residents take case over Dublin incinerator
The local campaign group opposed to the Poolbeg incinerator in Dublin has launched a legal challenge to the planned facility. Combined Residents Against Incineration (CRAI) has taken the first step of its High Court appeal against the planning permission granted for the development.
The action is being taken against the Minister for the Environment, the Attorney General, Dublin City Council and An Bord Pleanála.
In the papers it lodged yesterday, CRAI said Ireland had failed to transpose into Irish law its obligations under European Council directives. The group claims it is entitled to have access to a review procedure to challenge the substantive legality of the decision of An Bord Pleanála to grant planning permission for the municipal incinerator at Pigeon House Road.
CRAI is made up of residents living in areas such as Irishtown, Sandymount and Ringsend.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
The action is being taken against the Minister for the Environment, the Attorney General, Dublin City Council and An Bord Pleanála.
In the papers it lodged yesterday, CRAI said Ireland had failed to transpose into Irish law its obligations under European Council directives. The group claims it is entitled to have access to a review procedure to challenge the substantive legality of the decision of An Bord Pleanála to grant planning permission for the municipal incinerator at Pigeon House Road.
CRAI is made up of residents living in areas such as Irishtown, Sandymount and Ringsend.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
National Spatial Strategy should be scrapped, conference told
The National Spatial Strategy is not working and should be replaced by policies that favour growth in the area around Dublin, a conference was told yesterday.
The radical proposals were unveiled yesterday by the Futures Academy at Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT). The academy, a group of academic staff and researchers based at DIT, has warned that no proper planning is in place to deal with the most likely scenario that counties in the eastern half of the State will continue to grow faster than other counties.
The DIT warned that the spatial strategy, which envisages balanced growth, could be planning for a future that will never happen. It is proposing a transport network running in an east-west direction directly linking cities like Sligo and Dundalk and Tralee and Waterford, along with a high-speed rail link from Belfast to Waterford.
The academy's draft report, commissioned by the Urban Forum (which consists of groups representing engineers and planners), points out that regional cities, with the exception of Galway, grew slower than the national average in the last decade, and that the largest growth was concentrated in the counties around Dublin.
It warned that planning policies that attempt to fight the trends of where people actually live are doomed to failure and support for shifting resources from east to west may not be there in the future as the voter base becomes increasingly urban.
The report envisages that by 2030 the portion of the population living in Dublin and the 10 nearest counties will increase from 53 per cent to 60 per cent, with 3.8 million people out of a population of 5.3 million living within 25km (15.5 miles) of the east coast. This will happen irrespective of the spatial strategy, the academy says.
The plan was presented yesterday to the Dublin Chamber of Commerce seminar, The Future of Dublin - Imagine Dublin 2020. The chamber has endorsed the proposals.
The plan's recommendations are in direct contrast to the Government's spatial strategy of balancing regional development.
The strategy, which began in 2002, envisages developing nine gateway cities: Dublin, Cork, Limerick/Shannon, Galway, Waterford, Dundalk, Sligo, Letterkenny/Derry and the midlands towns of Athlone/ Tullamore/Mullingar, along with nine medium-sized hubs.
The strategy, which runs until 2020, envisages that regional towns and cities would be twice the size they are now, providing a counterbalance to Dublin.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
The radical proposals were unveiled yesterday by the Futures Academy at Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT). The academy, a group of academic staff and researchers based at DIT, has warned that no proper planning is in place to deal with the most likely scenario that counties in the eastern half of the State will continue to grow faster than other counties.
The DIT warned that the spatial strategy, which envisages balanced growth, could be planning for a future that will never happen. It is proposing a transport network running in an east-west direction directly linking cities like Sligo and Dundalk and Tralee and Waterford, along with a high-speed rail link from Belfast to Waterford.
The academy's draft report, commissioned by the Urban Forum (which consists of groups representing engineers and planners), points out that regional cities, with the exception of Galway, grew slower than the national average in the last decade, and that the largest growth was concentrated in the counties around Dublin.
It warned that planning policies that attempt to fight the trends of where people actually live are doomed to failure and support for shifting resources from east to west may not be there in the future as the voter base becomes increasingly urban.
The report envisages that by 2030 the portion of the population living in Dublin and the 10 nearest counties will increase from 53 per cent to 60 per cent, with 3.8 million people out of a population of 5.3 million living within 25km (15.5 miles) of the east coast. This will happen irrespective of the spatial strategy, the academy says.
The plan was presented yesterday to the Dublin Chamber of Commerce seminar, The Future of Dublin - Imagine Dublin 2020. The chamber has endorsed the proposals.
The plan's recommendations are in direct contrast to the Government's spatial strategy of balancing regional development.
The strategy, which began in 2002, envisages developing nine gateway cities: Dublin, Cork, Limerick/Shannon, Galway, Waterford, Dundalk, Sligo, Letterkenny/Derry and the midlands towns of Athlone/ Tullamore/Mullingar, along with nine medium-sized hubs.
The strategy, which runs until 2020, envisages that regional towns and cities would be twice the size they are now, providing a counterbalance to Dublin.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Barroso defends basisfor CO2 cut allocation
European Commission president José Manuel Barroso has said sharing the burden of CO2 emissions cuts between states based on relative wealth was the fairest way to do it.
He also predicted yesterday that EU states would negotiate very few changes to the commission's climate change proposal, which he described as a "historic decision".
"Responding to the challenge of climate change is the ultimate political test for our generation," said Mr Barroso.
"Our package not only responds to this challenge, but holds the right answer to the challenge of energy security and is an opportunity that should create thousands of new businesses and millions of jobs."
He confirmed several European leaders had lobbied him in the run-up to the publication of the package but said he felt that all EU states would agree to support the proposal.
Under the plan, Ireland will be forced to cut CO2 emissions by 20 per cent before 2020, compared to its emissions in 2005. The Government will also have to ensure that 16 per cent of its total energy use comes from renewable energy sources by this date.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has written to Mr Barroso arguing that allocating Ireland among the highest cuts in CO2 because of its high gross domestic product (GDP) is unfair. Mr Ahern said using gross national product (GNP) - which strips out the repatriated profits of multinationals based in Ireland - would be a better representation of wealth.
Other factors that need to be taken into consideration are Ireland's infrastructural deficit, our recent and projected levels of population growth and the relatively large size of Irish agriculture and its global competitiveness, according to the letter sent to Mr Barroso.
The Government is expected to make this point when the proposal is discussed at the Council of Ministers in Brussels later this year, when amendments are still possible.
The European Parliament will also get the chance to debate and amend the climate change proposal, which the commission wants to pass into law this year or early next year.
Mr Barroso staunchly defended the package in Brussels yesterday and the methodology chosen to allocate individual targets to member states.
He said sharing the burden based on GDP was "the fairest way to do it" and he did not envisage big changes to the proposal. "The final result in council will be, if not exactly what we have proposed, very, very close to it," he said, stressing the extensive consultation with states in the last few weeks.
He also noted that some EU states were complaining to Brussels about the proposed emissions and renewable targets, while actually setting tougher national targets for themselves.
Mr Barroso also shrugged off concerns from environmental non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that last-minute changes to the package to introduce a special compensation regime for energy intensive industries would hurt the environment.
Climate and energy strategy: main points
• Sets targets for reducing greenhouse gases and increasing the use of renewable energy. It puts into practice the EU's commitments made at the UN conference in Bali: to cut EU CO2 emissions by 20 per cent by 2020, compared to 1990 levels, and boost the use of renewable energy to account for 20 per cent of total energy.
• Each EU state gets different targets based on its relative wealth. Ireland gets the highest possible target for cutting CO2 emissions - 20 per cent by 2020, compared to 2005. Heavy industry is covered by the emissions trading scheme. It must cut emissions by 21 per cent by 2020. Ireland must ensure green energy accounts for 16 per cent of total energy use by 2020. Green energy currently accounts for 2.7 per cent.
• The cost of meeting the targets is estimated at about 0.5 per cent of GDP per year, which could cost Ireland almost €1 billion annually. But the commission argues that not taking action would probably cost much more, possibly between 5 to 20 per cent of GDP because of higher oil prices and the consequences of climate change.
It says reducing the EU's dependence on oil and gas will also increase its energy security.
• Ireland has told the commission that targets based on GDP are too severe because this takes into account the repatriated profits from the multinational sector. It wants the commission to set targets based on gross national income, which could reduce the bill to about €800 million per year. The commission says consumers will face just a 5 per cent increase in bills by 2020 due to the plan, costing an extra €150 per year.
• Member states will face tighter restrictions on the use of so called flexible mechanisms and carbon credits to meet their emissions reductions targets. Under the Kyoto Protocol states such as Ireland were allowed more scope to invest in green energy projects abroad to offset higher CO2 emissions at home.
• The plan also allows additional State aid to be invested in renewables and gives a financial boost to research in new technology for "carbon capture and storage", which would see CO2 emitted by industry being pumped into disused oil and gas fields.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
He also predicted yesterday that EU states would negotiate very few changes to the commission's climate change proposal, which he described as a "historic decision".
"Responding to the challenge of climate change is the ultimate political test for our generation," said Mr Barroso.
"Our package not only responds to this challenge, but holds the right answer to the challenge of energy security and is an opportunity that should create thousands of new businesses and millions of jobs."
He confirmed several European leaders had lobbied him in the run-up to the publication of the package but said he felt that all EU states would agree to support the proposal.
Under the plan, Ireland will be forced to cut CO2 emissions by 20 per cent before 2020, compared to its emissions in 2005. The Government will also have to ensure that 16 per cent of its total energy use comes from renewable energy sources by this date.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has written to Mr Barroso arguing that allocating Ireland among the highest cuts in CO2 because of its high gross domestic product (GDP) is unfair. Mr Ahern said using gross national product (GNP) - which strips out the repatriated profits of multinationals based in Ireland - would be a better representation of wealth.
Other factors that need to be taken into consideration are Ireland's infrastructural deficit, our recent and projected levels of population growth and the relatively large size of Irish agriculture and its global competitiveness, according to the letter sent to Mr Barroso.
The Government is expected to make this point when the proposal is discussed at the Council of Ministers in Brussels later this year, when amendments are still possible.
The European Parliament will also get the chance to debate and amend the climate change proposal, which the commission wants to pass into law this year or early next year.
Mr Barroso staunchly defended the package in Brussels yesterday and the methodology chosen to allocate individual targets to member states.
He said sharing the burden based on GDP was "the fairest way to do it" and he did not envisage big changes to the proposal. "The final result in council will be, if not exactly what we have proposed, very, very close to it," he said, stressing the extensive consultation with states in the last few weeks.
He also noted that some EU states were complaining to Brussels about the proposed emissions and renewable targets, while actually setting tougher national targets for themselves.
Mr Barroso also shrugged off concerns from environmental non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that last-minute changes to the package to introduce a special compensation regime for energy intensive industries would hurt the environment.
Climate and energy strategy: main points
• Sets targets for reducing greenhouse gases and increasing the use of renewable energy. It puts into practice the EU's commitments made at the UN conference in Bali: to cut EU CO2 emissions by 20 per cent by 2020, compared to 1990 levels, and boost the use of renewable energy to account for 20 per cent of total energy.
• Each EU state gets different targets based on its relative wealth. Ireland gets the highest possible target for cutting CO2 emissions - 20 per cent by 2020, compared to 2005. Heavy industry is covered by the emissions trading scheme. It must cut emissions by 21 per cent by 2020. Ireland must ensure green energy accounts for 16 per cent of total energy use by 2020. Green energy currently accounts for 2.7 per cent.
• The cost of meeting the targets is estimated at about 0.5 per cent of GDP per year, which could cost Ireland almost €1 billion annually. But the commission argues that not taking action would probably cost much more, possibly between 5 to 20 per cent of GDP because of higher oil prices and the consequences of climate change.
It says reducing the EU's dependence on oil and gas will also increase its energy security.
• Ireland has told the commission that targets based on GDP are too severe because this takes into account the repatriated profits from the multinational sector. It wants the commission to set targets based on gross national income, which could reduce the bill to about €800 million per year. The commission says consumers will face just a 5 per cent increase in bills by 2020 due to the plan, costing an extra €150 per year.
• Member states will face tighter restrictions on the use of so called flexible mechanisms and carbon credits to meet their emissions reductions targets. Under the Kyoto Protocol states such as Ireland were allowed more scope to invest in green energy projects abroad to offset higher CO2 emissions at home.
• The plan also allows additional State aid to be invested in renewables and gives a financial boost to research in new technology for "carbon capture and storage", which would see CO2 emitted by industry being pumped into disused oil and gas fields.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Wednesday, 23 January 2008
Conservation officer says claim ludicrous
Clare's conservation officer has come under fire after a councillor claimed his intervention cost the Catholic Church an additional €4.5 million in restoring a church in Kilrush.
At the council's January meeting, Tom Prendeville (FF) asked: "Is there no limit to the powers of the Conservation Office?" Mr Prendeville said conservation works at St Senan's Church in Kilrush were delayed for almost two years by the council's conservation officer Risteard Ua Croinín, resulting in the costs increasing from €1.5 million to €6 million.
He said: "I am reliably informed that even the Stations of the Cross, which were removed for conservation purposes before the works were carried out at St Senan's Church, later became the subject of a tête-a-tête between the local parish priest and the Conservation Office long after the project was completed."
In response, Mr Ua Croinín said it was "absolutely ludicrous" to suggest that he was responsible for delaying the project or adding to its cost.
Mr Ua Croinín said he actually helped to bring costs of the project down by holding numerous meetings with the church authorities in Kilrush and issuing declarations that allowed them to press ahead with works without the need for planning permission.
He said he advised the church not to lodge a planning application for additional works as they were inappropriate and would be refused.
"Planning permission was refused and An Bord Pleanála also refused planning permission for most of the works."
Mr Ua Croinín said he came across the Stations of the Cross in a function room.
He said: "They are valuable mid-19th century crosses and I said that they had to be removed from the room to avoid coffee or drink being spilt over them."
Mr Prendeville sought to dispute Mr Ua Croinín's claims. However, Clare mayor councillor Patricia McCarthy said the debate had ended.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
At the council's January meeting, Tom Prendeville (FF) asked: "Is there no limit to the powers of the Conservation Office?" Mr Prendeville said conservation works at St Senan's Church in Kilrush were delayed for almost two years by the council's conservation officer Risteard Ua Croinín, resulting in the costs increasing from €1.5 million to €6 million.
He said: "I am reliably informed that even the Stations of the Cross, which were removed for conservation purposes before the works were carried out at St Senan's Church, later became the subject of a tête-a-tête between the local parish priest and the Conservation Office long after the project was completed."
In response, Mr Ua Croinín said it was "absolutely ludicrous" to suggest that he was responsible for delaying the project or adding to its cost.
Mr Ua Croinín said he actually helped to bring costs of the project down by holding numerous meetings with the church authorities in Kilrush and issuing declarations that allowed them to press ahead with works without the need for planning permission.
He said he advised the church not to lodge a planning application for additional works as they were inappropriate and would be refused.
"Planning permission was refused and An Bord Pleanála also refused planning permission for most of the works."
Mr Ua Croinín said he came across the Stations of the Cross in a function room.
He said: "They are valuable mid-19th century crosses and I said that they had to be removed from the room to avoid coffee or drink being spilt over them."
Mr Prendeville sought to dispute Mr Ua Croinín's claims. However, Clare mayor councillor Patricia McCarthy said the debate had ended.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Ennis council offices open today
Ennis County Council's new €27 million headquarters will open to the public today - almost a decade after the proposal was first mooted.
The council's 300 staff will start their first day at the new headquarters today after spending the past 18 months in various offices in Ennis.
Clare's mayor, Cllr Patricia McCarthy (Ind), welcomed the opening and expressed hope that the new offices would act as a focal point not just for Ennis, but for Clare.
The transfer to the new headquarters has taken place without disruption following the council and Impact coming to a resolution on the council's disciplinary procedures.
Last month, Impact members voted four to one for industrial action in relation to disciplinary procedures that the council has in place.
The vote threatened to disrupt the relocation to the council's headquarters, however, the two sides met last week and agreed to refer the council's contentious disciplinary procedures to a third party.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
The council's 300 staff will start their first day at the new headquarters today after spending the past 18 months in various offices in Ennis.
Clare's mayor, Cllr Patricia McCarthy (Ind), welcomed the opening and expressed hope that the new offices would act as a focal point not just for Ennis, but for Clare.
The transfer to the new headquarters has taken place without disruption following the council and Impact coming to a resolution on the council's disciplinary procedures.
Last month, Impact members voted four to one for industrial action in relation to disciplinary procedures that the council has in place.
The vote threatened to disrupt the relocation to the council's headquarters, however, the two sides met last week and agreed to refer the council's contentious disciplinary procedures to a third party.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Tipperary waste plan appeal hearing begins
Hundreds of people gathered in the ballroom of the Hotel Minella in Clonmel yesterday for the opening day of An Bord Pleanála's oral hearing about a keenly-contested plan to build a waste treatment plant in the south Tipperary countryside.
Planning inspector Derek Daly said the hearing could last for two weeks. A joint-venture company, Green Organics Energy Limited (GOE), is hoping to build a facility to process animal by-products from meat-processing factories and other biodegradable waste and to create "green" electricity and bio-diesel.
The site in the village of Rosegreen, is close to both Coolmore Stud and Ballydoyle stables and has attracted considerable local opposition. The opening session was attended by Tipperary TDs including Fianna Fáil's Dr Martin Mansergh and Mattie McGrath, Fine Gael's Tom Hayes and Independent, Michael Lowry - as well as local councillors - who have all publicly expressed opposition to the plan.
South Tipperary County Council has already refused planning permission for the project but the company has appealed to An Bord Pleanála. Coolmore Stud and other local businesses as well as residents have also lodged appeals hoping to persuade the board to uphold the council's decision.
Yesterday's formal proceedings began with a detailed submission from GOE, whose legal team is led by former attorney-general Rory Brady SC, who introduced the company's panel of expert witnesses.
The project's manager, Paul Barrett, claimed that the proposed facility would help to "maintain Ireland's green image" by using EU and government-approved technology to process animal by-products and "brown bin" kitchen waste.
He said the project would help to reduce greenhouse gasses and provide a solution to the Irish meat-processing industry which is currently engaged in the "unsustainable" practice of exporting its waste for incineration.
Mr Barrett said the bio energy facility would process 250,000 tonnes of biodegradable waste a year, including 30 per cent of all the animal by-products and slaughterhouse waste produced in Ireland. Dr Martin Hogan, a Cork-based health consultant retained by the company, rejected allegations that the facility would be harmful to human health. He said: "Let me state as a doctor that if it were shown that this project could really damage human health, I too would be an objector."
He claimed that the technology to be used in the plant is safe and effective and supported by organisations such as the EU and Friends of the Earth.
Michael Cunningham, managing director of environmental consultancy White, Young, Green, said a detailed assessment of the impact of the proposed development on the equine industry and Ballydoyle was undertaken and concluded that there would be no impact. The hearing continues today.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Planning inspector Derek Daly said the hearing could last for two weeks. A joint-venture company, Green Organics Energy Limited (GOE), is hoping to build a facility to process animal by-products from meat-processing factories and other biodegradable waste and to create "green" electricity and bio-diesel.
The site in the village of Rosegreen, is close to both Coolmore Stud and Ballydoyle stables and has attracted considerable local opposition. The opening session was attended by Tipperary TDs including Fianna Fáil's Dr Martin Mansergh and Mattie McGrath, Fine Gael's Tom Hayes and Independent, Michael Lowry - as well as local councillors - who have all publicly expressed opposition to the plan.
South Tipperary County Council has already refused planning permission for the project but the company has appealed to An Bord Pleanála. Coolmore Stud and other local businesses as well as residents have also lodged appeals hoping to persuade the board to uphold the council's decision.
Yesterday's formal proceedings began with a detailed submission from GOE, whose legal team is led by former attorney-general Rory Brady SC, who introduced the company's panel of expert witnesses.
The project's manager, Paul Barrett, claimed that the proposed facility would help to "maintain Ireland's green image" by using EU and government-approved technology to process animal by-products and "brown bin" kitchen waste.
He said the project would help to reduce greenhouse gasses and provide a solution to the Irish meat-processing industry which is currently engaged in the "unsustainable" practice of exporting its waste for incineration.
Mr Barrett said the bio energy facility would process 250,000 tonnes of biodegradable waste a year, including 30 per cent of all the animal by-products and slaughterhouse waste produced in Ireland. Dr Martin Hogan, a Cork-based health consultant retained by the company, rejected allegations that the facility would be harmful to human health. He said: "Let me state as a doctor that if it were shown that this project could really damage human health, I too would be an objector."
He claimed that the technology to be used in the plant is safe and effective and supported by organisations such as the EU and Friends of the Earth.
Michael Cunningham, managing director of environmental consultancy White, Young, Green, said a detailed assessment of the impact of the proposed development on the equine industry and Ballydoyle was undertaken and concluded that there would be no impact. The hearing continues today.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
New development strategy presents challenge to tradition, says city council
Irish people must relinquish their attachment to low-rise, low-density living and allow Dublin to become a compact, consolidated and "high performance" capital city, according to Dublin City Council.
The council's new strategy to bring high-rise buildings and a vastly greater number of homes and offices per acre to the city is crucial to the economic and social future of the city and is one of the most important advances in its recent history, the council said.
Not only will those living and working in the centre of the city see dramatic changes to their immediate surroundings, but suburbanites in areas such as Phibsborough, Rathmines, Crumlin and Finglas are likely to see a major transformation of their localities in the coming years.
In its strategy, the council says it is "vital" that Dublin grows to an international scale while still retaining its character and providing for the needs of residents, workers and visitors.
The council is convinced of the need for a redeveloped and more compact city but it admits that it presents a challenge to tradition.
"Achievement of the new principles of urban development seems to be blocked, more than anything else, by the self-perception that Ireland is so attached to low density development and so divided between competing interests, that although we can create a dynamic economy, we cannot make quality sustainable cities and towns," the council's strategy states.
If Dublin is to develop economically it is crucial that new clusters of tall buildings are sited in key locations such as Heuston and the docklands.
The strategy also proposes that a wider number of areas should receive tall buildings, providing "elegant landmarks" and projecting an image of a "mature city" at ease with modernity.
In addition to consolidation, the strategy also intends to create sustainable communities and emphasis is put on locating high-density developments only where there are strong transport links, such as trains, Luas, quality bus corridors and, in the future, metro.
It also stresses that development in any area will be progressed through Framework Plans which will have a high level of public input.
Key areas: prime city locations earmarked for redevelopment
High intensity clusters: areas which have significant scope for intensification and will be the main focus for clusters of high-rise buildings and landmark buildings in the inner city:
The Eastern Cluster - Grand Canal Dock, north Lotts Spencer Dock, Connolly, Tara/ Georges Quay, Southbank/ Poolbeg, Port Lands.
The Knowledge Axis - Grangegorman to the Digital Hub. Western Cluster - Heuston area.
Inner suburban areas identified for intensification. Heights to be determined through framework plans:
Dolphins Barn, Phibsborough/Mountjoy, the Markets, Newmarket, Marrowbone Lane, Ship Street.
Prime urban centres where opportunities for landmark buildings exist:
Finglas, Ballymun, Rathmines, Ballyfermot, Crumlin, North Side Shopping Centre, North Fringe at the Northern boundary with Fingal.
Outer city areas with potential for height and dense development:
Bettystown, Park West, Drimnagh, Richmond Road, Chapelizod, Whitehall.
• Heights in specific locations will be determined by framework and local area plans.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
The council's new strategy to bring high-rise buildings and a vastly greater number of homes and offices per acre to the city is crucial to the economic and social future of the city and is one of the most important advances in its recent history, the council said.
Not only will those living and working in the centre of the city see dramatic changes to their immediate surroundings, but suburbanites in areas such as Phibsborough, Rathmines, Crumlin and Finglas are likely to see a major transformation of their localities in the coming years.
In its strategy, the council says it is "vital" that Dublin grows to an international scale while still retaining its character and providing for the needs of residents, workers and visitors.
The council is convinced of the need for a redeveloped and more compact city but it admits that it presents a challenge to tradition.
"Achievement of the new principles of urban development seems to be blocked, more than anything else, by the self-perception that Ireland is so attached to low density development and so divided between competing interests, that although we can create a dynamic economy, we cannot make quality sustainable cities and towns," the council's strategy states.
If Dublin is to develop economically it is crucial that new clusters of tall buildings are sited in key locations such as Heuston and the docklands.
The strategy also proposes that a wider number of areas should receive tall buildings, providing "elegant landmarks" and projecting an image of a "mature city" at ease with modernity.
In addition to consolidation, the strategy also intends to create sustainable communities and emphasis is put on locating high-density developments only where there are strong transport links, such as trains, Luas, quality bus corridors and, in the future, metro.
It also stresses that development in any area will be progressed through Framework Plans which will have a high level of public input.
Key areas: prime city locations earmarked for redevelopment
High intensity clusters: areas which have significant scope for intensification and will be the main focus for clusters of high-rise buildings and landmark buildings in the inner city:
The Eastern Cluster - Grand Canal Dock, north Lotts Spencer Dock, Connolly, Tara/ Georges Quay, Southbank/ Poolbeg, Port Lands.
The Knowledge Axis - Grangegorman to the Digital Hub. Western Cluster - Heuston area.
Inner suburban areas identified for intensification. Heights to be determined through framework plans:
Dolphins Barn, Phibsborough/Mountjoy, the Markets, Newmarket, Marrowbone Lane, Ship Street.
Prime urban centres where opportunities for landmark buildings exist:
Finglas, Ballymun, Rathmines, Ballyfermot, Crumlin, North Side Shopping Centre, North Fringe at the Northern boundary with Fingal.
Outer city areas with potential for height and dense development:
Bettystown, Park West, Drimnagh, Richmond Road, Chapelizod, Whitehall.
• Heights in specific locations will be determined by framework and local area plans.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Dublin's skyscraper proposal to combat urban sprawl
Buildings more than twice the height of Liberty Hall are to be considered in strategic locations in Dublin city including Grangegorman, around Connolly, Tara Street and Heuston stations and the docklands.
Dozens of other areas have been identified as having potential for high-rise or "landmark" buildings or intensive/dense developments under a new Dublin City Council strategy aimed at consolidating the city and halting urban sprawl.
The plan, Maximising the City's Potential: A Strategy for Intensification and Height, will be on display in the Civic Offices at Wood Quay from tomorrow and the public will have until March 7th to make submissions on what the council says is one of the greatest challenges to Irish traditions and perceptions in the last 50 years.
The intention to site high-rise or landmark buildings in areas such as the docklands and near Heuston Station has been well flagged by the council, with buildings of more than 100m already planned there. However, this is the first time the council has been so direct in specifying such a large number of areas which it believes are ripe for high-rises or for dense developments.
It is also the first time the council has defined terms such as high rise. In its scale of potential building heights, low rise, which encompasses most of the existing buildings in the city, is anything under 15m, typically a building of less than four storeys. Mid-rise buildings are between 15m and 50m, with the tallest of these buildings generally in the 12- to 15-storey range.
High-rise buildings, of which there are very few in the city, are those between 50m and 150m. Dublin's oldest "skyscraper" Liberty Hall just makes it into this category at 59m. The last category is super high-rise, which defines a building of more than 150m. No such building currently exists in the State. Such very tall buildings are likely to be confined to key locations in the city centre. However, the strategy does not exclude them from suburban areas if they are appropriate to the surrounding developments.
Tall towers could also be accepted in suburban areas such as Phibsborough village and Mountjoy (following the closure of the prison), Eastwall Road and its environs and Dolphins Barn. Permissible heights in these areas would be determined by individual plans called "framework plans" devised by the council.
Outlying areas have also been earmarked for high density development. These have existing or planned strong public transport links and include many former industrial sites surrounding Coolock, Ballymun, Finglas and Drimnagh. Banks of land in these areas would maximise the potential of public transport and have been identified as "having significant potential for intensification and growth" in the strategy.
Any high-density or high-rise development must not have an adverse impact on built and natural heritage, environmental amenities and quality of life in existing residential or proposed communities, the strategy states.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Dozens of other areas have been identified as having potential for high-rise or "landmark" buildings or intensive/dense developments under a new Dublin City Council strategy aimed at consolidating the city and halting urban sprawl.
The plan, Maximising the City's Potential: A Strategy for Intensification and Height, will be on display in the Civic Offices at Wood Quay from tomorrow and the public will have until March 7th to make submissions on what the council says is one of the greatest challenges to Irish traditions and perceptions in the last 50 years.
The intention to site high-rise or landmark buildings in areas such as the docklands and near Heuston Station has been well flagged by the council, with buildings of more than 100m already planned there. However, this is the first time the council has been so direct in specifying such a large number of areas which it believes are ripe for high-rises or for dense developments.
It is also the first time the council has defined terms such as high rise. In its scale of potential building heights, low rise, which encompasses most of the existing buildings in the city, is anything under 15m, typically a building of less than four storeys. Mid-rise buildings are between 15m and 50m, with the tallest of these buildings generally in the 12- to 15-storey range.
High-rise buildings, of which there are very few in the city, are those between 50m and 150m. Dublin's oldest "skyscraper" Liberty Hall just makes it into this category at 59m. The last category is super high-rise, which defines a building of more than 150m. No such building currently exists in the State. Such very tall buildings are likely to be confined to key locations in the city centre. However, the strategy does not exclude them from suburban areas if they are appropriate to the surrounding developments.
Tall towers could also be accepted in suburban areas such as Phibsborough village and Mountjoy (following the closure of the prison), Eastwall Road and its environs and Dolphins Barn. Permissible heights in these areas would be determined by individual plans called "framework plans" devised by the council.
Outlying areas have also been earmarked for high density development. These have existing or planned strong public transport links and include many former industrial sites surrounding Coolock, Ballymun, Finglas and Drimnagh. Banks of land in these areas would maximise the potential of public transport and have been identified as "having significant potential for intensification and growth" in the strategy.
Any high-density or high-rise development must not have an adverse impact on built and natural heritage, environmental amenities and quality of life in existing residential or proposed communities, the strategy states.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Eight measures to regenerate troubled areas
THE key proposals of Limerick's northside and southside vision plans are:
l The total rebuilding of the Moyross estate and large parts of Southill and Ballincurra Weston estates.
l This will involve the demolition of 1,100 houses in Moyross and 900 in the Southill and Ballincurra Weston.
An additional 400 houses will be refurbished in the Southill estates of Carew Park and Kincora Park.
l A new town centre is planned for Moyross and new neighbourhood centres for Southill and Ballincurra Weston and the creation of two new garda stations in Moyross and Southill.
l Residents will be encouraged to buy out their homes under a new tenant-purchase scheme.
l A certificate of eligibility will be required from the gardai and the local authority before anyone is allocated a house.
l Tax incentives for particular zones within the regeneration areas to encourage private sector investment are also recommended.
l The small number of families causing absolute havoc must get constant attention from the gardai.
l All State agencies must, from now on, take strong enforcement measures against the perpetrators of crime, intimidation and anti-social behaviour including: review of welfare payments, tax compliance and tenancy agreements.
BARRY DUGGAN
www.buckplanning.ie
l The total rebuilding of the Moyross estate and large parts of Southill and Ballincurra Weston estates.
l This will involve the demolition of 1,100 houses in Moyross and 900 in the Southill and Ballincurra Weston.
An additional 400 houses will be refurbished in the Southill estates of Carew Park and Kincora Park.
l A new town centre is planned for Moyross and new neighbourhood centres for Southill and Ballincurra Weston and the creation of two new garda stations in Moyross and Southill.
l Residents will be encouraged to buy out their homes under a new tenant-purchase scheme.
l A certificate of eligibility will be required from the gardai and the local authority before anyone is allocated a house.
l Tax incentives for particular zones within the regeneration areas to encourage private sector investment are also recommended.
l The small number of families causing absolute havoc must get constant attention from the gardai.
l All State agencies must, from now on, take strong enforcement measures against the perpetrators of crime, intimidation and anti-social behaviour including: review of welfare payments, tax compliance and tenancy agreements.
BARRY DUGGAN
www.buckplanning.ie
Building a better future ...
AMID a wave of optimism, a large cross-section of Irish life gathered yesterday to learn of an ambitious redevelopment of two of the country's most deprived suburbs.
The Limerick neighbourhoods of Moyross and Southill have known some dark days in recent years but President Mary McAleese yesterday spoke with members of both communities and her hopes for a "truly better future".
Mrs McAleese viewed at first hand the proposed changes that the Government hopes to make in four areas in Limerick as recommended in the regeneration vision documents.
The documents propose a radical improvement amid ambitious plans to make the communities of Moyross, Southill, Ballinacurra-Weston and St Mary's Park, the most vibrant and sustainable areas in the country.
Demolished
It is proposed that over 2,000 homes be demolished and new town centres along with associated services and facilities, including two major sports campuses, be created for the estates.
It is hoped the far-reaching plans will successfully tackle criminal activity and anti-social behaviour in the areas.
The president complimented those who had worked on the vision documents and brought the overall project to such an advances stage.
"In a very short time, Moyross is going to be a national example of what that spirit of courtesy, generosity and community can achieve when it focuses on breaking with an unhappy and unpleasant past and takes a firm step towards the radical change needed to create the best future possible for the children, the women and the men of Moyross," she said.
Ms McAleese told the Southill community: "We should be under no illusions about the challenges that lie ahead -- for the State, for the agencies, but primarily for the community. They will be about keeping faith with the process of radical change that this report authorises.
"The process of consultation to which you have already given so much and so generously does not end today but now, instead of producing words and plans, it will produce action and visible change."
At a specially erected marquee alongside Moyross Community Centre, local politicians, property developers, FAI president John Delaney, his counterpart from the GAA, Nickey Brennan and IRFU President Der Healy all mingled freely with locals from both sides of the city.
Chairman of Limerick's Regeneration Agencies, John Fitzgerald, said the overhaul of the city's estates could transform the way the city and region was viewed and marketed on the international scene.
Last year, Mr Fitzgerald presented to the Government his proposals to tackle the socially deprived estates.
"These are national solutions. By Limerick standards, it is a lot of houses and a lot of people, but by national standards it is not enormous," Mr Fitzgerald said.
"I have been dealing with social deprivation for a long, long time in places like west Tallaght and Clondalkin. What I have seen here and the issues here are the worst that I have encountered.
Concentrated
"It is not unique, but it is more concentrated and is more severe and it will require more drastic solutions.
"The potential of Limerick as a region is huge, but it is undermined all the time by the activities of a small number of people. However, you can't sweep this under the carpet. You have to face up to it and confront it.
"Once you accept there are problems and you confront them then I think the problem of selling Limerick to the international community will be a hell of a lot easier after this," Mr Fitzgerald said.
The cost of the entire project is not yet known, but it is hoped that the majority of the expense will originate from private investment.
Regeneration Agencies Chief Executive Brendan Kenny said, "The vision plan sets out clearly the physical infrastructure required but as we have always said it is the social regeneration aspect which represents the biggest challenge therefore it gets most attention in the plan."
The agencies will contract planning consultants in February.
Construction on the new homes will start early next year.
Barry Duggan
www.buckplanning.ie
The Limerick neighbourhoods of Moyross and Southill have known some dark days in recent years but President Mary McAleese yesterday spoke with members of both communities and her hopes for a "truly better future".
Mrs McAleese viewed at first hand the proposed changes that the Government hopes to make in four areas in Limerick as recommended in the regeneration vision documents.
The documents propose a radical improvement amid ambitious plans to make the communities of Moyross, Southill, Ballinacurra-Weston and St Mary's Park, the most vibrant and sustainable areas in the country.
Demolished
It is proposed that over 2,000 homes be demolished and new town centres along with associated services and facilities, including two major sports campuses, be created for the estates.
It is hoped the far-reaching plans will successfully tackle criminal activity and anti-social behaviour in the areas.
The president complimented those who had worked on the vision documents and brought the overall project to such an advances stage.
"In a very short time, Moyross is going to be a national example of what that spirit of courtesy, generosity and community can achieve when it focuses on breaking with an unhappy and unpleasant past and takes a firm step towards the radical change needed to create the best future possible for the children, the women and the men of Moyross," she said.
Ms McAleese told the Southill community: "We should be under no illusions about the challenges that lie ahead -- for the State, for the agencies, but primarily for the community. They will be about keeping faith with the process of radical change that this report authorises.
"The process of consultation to which you have already given so much and so generously does not end today but now, instead of producing words and plans, it will produce action and visible change."
At a specially erected marquee alongside Moyross Community Centre, local politicians, property developers, FAI president John Delaney, his counterpart from the GAA, Nickey Brennan and IRFU President Der Healy all mingled freely with locals from both sides of the city.
Chairman of Limerick's Regeneration Agencies, John Fitzgerald, said the overhaul of the city's estates could transform the way the city and region was viewed and marketed on the international scene.
Last year, Mr Fitzgerald presented to the Government his proposals to tackle the socially deprived estates.
"These are national solutions. By Limerick standards, it is a lot of houses and a lot of people, but by national standards it is not enormous," Mr Fitzgerald said.
"I have been dealing with social deprivation for a long, long time in places like west Tallaght and Clondalkin. What I have seen here and the issues here are the worst that I have encountered.
Concentrated
"It is not unique, but it is more concentrated and is more severe and it will require more drastic solutions.
"The potential of Limerick as a region is huge, but it is undermined all the time by the activities of a small number of people. However, you can't sweep this under the carpet. You have to face up to it and confront it.
"Once you accept there are problems and you confront them then I think the problem of selling Limerick to the international community will be a hell of a lot easier after this," Mr Fitzgerald said.
The cost of the entire project is not yet known, but it is hoped that the majority of the expense will originate from private investment.
Regeneration Agencies Chief Executive Brendan Kenny said, "The vision plan sets out clearly the physical infrastructure required but as we have always said it is the social regeneration aspect which represents the biggest challenge therefore it gets most attention in the plan."
The agencies will contract planning consultants in February.
Construction on the new homes will start early next year.
Barry Duggan
www.buckplanning.ie
Limerick's blessing for a new beginning
Amid a wave of optimism, a vast cross-section of Irish life gathered yesterday in two of the country's most deprived suburbs to learn of the biggest redevelopment of socially deprived areas ever undertaken here.
The Limerick neighbourhoods of Moyross and Southill have known some dark days, but President Mary McAleese yesterday told residents of her hopes for a "truly better future".
The plan is to make the two communities, along with Ballinacurra-Weston and St Mary's Park, among the most vibrant in the country.
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
The Limerick neighbourhoods of Moyross and Southill have known some dark days, but President Mary McAleese yesterday told residents of her hopes for a "truly better future".
The plan is to make the two communities, along with Ballinacurra-Weston and St Mary's Park, among the most vibrant in the country.
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Full steam ahead as Phoenix Park rail station opens at former racecourse
A NEW rail station opened yesterday in Dublin's Phoenix Park to cater for more than 2,300 houses expected to be built on the former racecourse there.
The €7m station was fully paid for by developers Flynn and O'Flaherty who are building the homes.
Rail services will link commuters to Connolly, Tara Street and Pearse stations, as well as to the new Docklands station.
In addition, workers and students using the station will be directly linked to NUI Maynooth, Intel Leixlip and Drumcondra.
Transport Minister Noel Dempsey, who opened the station, said it was the latest example of the provision of quality public transport links for new communities.
The Maynooth commuter line is the fastest-growing commuter corridor in the greater Dublin area, and new services have been added to the timetable in tandem with the Phoenix Park Station opening.
The line is expected to be upgraded to Dart status and eventually become the Maynooth to Bray Dart line.
The Phoenix Park station's design provides an elevated passenger concourse area over the rail line.
A public transport interchange is provided with bus services on the Navan Road, and there is also a 100-space car park.
The station is a key part of the infrastructure and facilities for the e1.5bn Phoenix Park Racecourse development.
Treacy Hogan Environment Correspondent
www.buckplanning.ie
The €7m station was fully paid for by developers Flynn and O'Flaherty who are building the homes.
Rail services will link commuters to Connolly, Tara Street and Pearse stations, as well as to the new Docklands station.
In addition, workers and students using the station will be directly linked to NUI Maynooth, Intel Leixlip and Drumcondra.
Transport Minister Noel Dempsey, who opened the station, said it was the latest example of the provision of quality public transport links for new communities.
The Maynooth commuter line is the fastest-growing commuter corridor in the greater Dublin area, and new services have been added to the timetable in tandem with the Phoenix Park Station opening.
The line is expected to be upgraded to Dart status and eventually become the Maynooth to Bray Dart line.
The Phoenix Park station's design provides an elevated passenger concourse area over the rail line.
A public transport interchange is provided with bus services on the Navan Road, and there is also a 100-space car park.
The station is a key part of the infrastructure and facilities for the e1.5bn Phoenix Park Racecourse development.
Treacy Hogan Environment Correspondent
www.buckplanning.ie
Bio plant would 'spell the end' for famous stables
HORSETRAINER Aidan O'Brien has claimed his world-famous Ballydoyle stables will cease to operate if a multi-million euro waste treatment plant is built beside it.
Mr O'Brien was speaking at the opening of a Bord Pleanala hearing into plans to build an animal-waste bio-energy plant, which would process 215,000 tonnes of waste containing potentially BSE-infected material.
"There's no doubt it would be the end of Ballydoyle," said Mr O'Brien. "This would be a disaster for us, the two things cannot work together.
"We train elite equine athletes at Ballydoyle so obviously air quality and surroundings are vital."
Mr O'Brien's wife Anne-Marie, who also attended yesterday's hearings in Clonmel, Co Tipperary, said she would "be appalled" at the thought of the plant getting the green light.
The proposal has met with stern opposition from big guns John Magnier, who owns Coolmore Stud, and also from many local residents.
Consultants for Green Organic Energy (GOE), the company behind the proposal at Castleblake, Rosegreen, Co Tipperary, opened yesterday's hearings, which are expected to end late next week.
South Tipperary County Council refused GOE permission to build the plant last August on environmental grounds.
Paul Barrett, project manager behind the plant, outlined GOE's plans to build both a bio-gas plant and a separate bio-diesel plant, including ancillary works on the site 15-hectare site.
He said the bio-gas plant would process 215,000-tonnes of by-product from the meat industry per year and would in turn contribute 15-megawatts of electricity to the national grid.
GOE is made up from three companies -- Dawn Meats, Bioverda -- a subsidiary of NTR (National Toll Roads) -- and Avglade, who between them control 30pc of all animal by-product produced in the State.
At present, 80pc of Irish produced animal by-product is exported for incineration.
Mr Barrett told the hearing that the plant would create "no odour issues" and that there would be no "process water discharge" to local water sources. He also stressed that the plant meets all required emission standards.
Health
Dr Martin Hogan, an environmental and human health consultant said there would be no hazardous waste entering the plant.
He claimed the potential for human health impacts from the proposed facility would be "negligible".
GOE's Mr Barrett went on to claim that the plant would serve to "reduce Ireland's green-house gas emissions and produce a constant supply to the energy grid."
Witnesses for GOE are to continue to deliver evidence today with representations from Coolmore, Ballydoyle and local interests to follow.
Star trainer Aidan O'Brien remained unconvinced that the plant would prove harmless to the local environment and to the local horse-training industry.
"It would be a great disaster after the huge investments made in Ballydoyle and the equine industry in the area over the years. The two industries couldn't work together," he said.
Dara deFaoite
www.buckplanning.ie
Mr O'Brien was speaking at the opening of a Bord Pleanala hearing into plans to build an animal-waste bio-energy plant, which would process 215,000 tonnes of waste containing potentially BSE-infected material.
"There's no doubt it would be the end of Ballydoyle," said Mr O'Brien. "This would be a disaster for us, the two things cannot work together.
"We train elite equine athletes at Ballydoyle so obviously air quality and surroundings are vital."
Mr O'Brien's wife Anne-Marie, who also attended yesterday's hearings in Clonmel, Co Tipperary, said she would "be appalled" at the thought of the plant getting the green light.
The proposal has met with stern opposition from big guns John Magnier, who owns Coolmore Stud, and also from many local residents.
Consultants for Green Organic Energy (GOE), the company behind the proposal at Castleblake, Rosegreen, Co Tipperary, opened yesterday's hearings, which are expected to end late next week.
South Tipperary County Council refused GOE permission to build the plant last August on environmental grounds.
Paul Barrett, project manager behind the plant, outlined GOE's plans to build both a bio-gas plant and a separate bio-diesel plant, including ancillary works on the site 15-hectare site.
He said the bio-gas plant would process 215,000-tonnes of by-product from the meat industry per year and would in turn contribute 15-megawatts of electricity to the national grid.
GOE is made up from three companies -- Dawn Meats, Bioverda -- a subsidiary of NTR (National Toll Roads) -- and Avglade, who between them control 30pc of all animal by-product produced in the State.
At present, 80pc of Irish produced animal by-product is exported for incineration.
Mr Barrett told the hearing that the plant would create "no odour issues" and that there would be no "process water discharge" to local water sources. He also stressed that the plant meets all required emission standards.
Health
Dr Martin Hogan, an environmental and human health consultant said there would be no hazardous waste entering the plant.
He claimed the potential for human health impacts from the proposed facility would be "negligible".
GOE's Mr Barrett went on to claim that the plant would serve to "reduce Ireland's green-house gas emissions and produce a constant supply to the energy grid."
Witnesses for GOE are to continue to deliver evidence today with representations from Coolmore, Ballydoyle and local interests to follow.
Star trainer Aidan O'Brien remained unconvinced that the plant would prove harmless to the local environment and to the local horse-training industry.
"It would be a great disaster after the huge investments made in Ballydoyle and the equine industry in the area over the years. The two industries couldn't work together," he said.
Dara deFaoite
www.buckplanning.ie
Monday, 21 January 2008
President to launch regeneration plans for Limerick estates
President Mary McAleese will visit Limerick today to launch two radical plans for the largest regeneration project undertaken in the State.
Two separate "vision plans" for Limerick's Moyross housing estate and the Southill and Ballinacurra Weston areas on the south side of the city, will be unveiled today.
The plans include proposals for the total rebuilding of the Moyross estate, and a large part of the Southill and Ballinacurra Weston estates, which will mean the demolition of 2,000 houses.
The vision documents, entitled Our Community, Our Vision, Our Future, also include a new town centre for Moyross, new neighbourhood centres for Southill and Ballincurra Weston and the creation of two new Garda stations in Moyross and Southill.
A co-ordinated response to social and education problems to break the cycle of disadvantage is also recommended in the plans.
The chief executive of the Limerick Regeneration Agencies, Brendan Kenny, will outline the two plans, while the Northside Regeneration Agency director, Paul Foley, and the Southside Regeneration Agency director, Brendan Hayden, will attend press conferences today.
The plans for the Moyross and Southill housing estates were compiled after the Government commissioned former Dublin city manager John Fitzgerald to report on how to tackle the social, crime and economic problems in the troubled estates.
Mr Fitzgerald recommended that two separate regeneration agencies be set up in the north side and the south side of Limerick to drive social and economic regeneration and that 100 extra gardaí be recruited to tackle crime.
The two regeneration agencies were set up last June, with Mr Fitzgerald as chairman and former Dublin assistant city manager Mr Kenny as the chief executive.
Mr Kenny worked for many years on the regeneration of the Fatima Mansions and Ballymun estates in Dublin.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Two separate "vision plans" for Limerick's Moyross housing estate and the Southill and Ballinacurra Weston areas on the south side of the city, will be unveiled today.
The plans include proposals for the total rebuilding of the Moyross estate, and a large part of the Southill and Ballinacurra Weston estates, which will mean the demolition of 2,000 houses.
The vision documents, entitled Our Community, Our Vision, Our Future, also include a new town centre for Moyross, new neighbourhood centres for Southill and Ballincurra Weston and the creation of two new Garda stations in Moyross and Southill.
A co-ordinated response to social and education problems to break the cycle of disadvantage is also recommended in the plans.
The chief executive of the Limerick Regeneration Agencies, Brendan Kenny, will outline the two plans, while the Northside Regeneration Agency director, Paul Foley, and the Southside Regeneration Agency director, Brendan Hayden, will attend press conferences today.
The plans for the Moyross and Southill housing estates were compiled after the Government commissioned former Dublin city manager John Fitzgerald to report on how to tackle the social, crime and economic problems in the troubled estates.
Mr Fitzgerald recommended that two separate regeneration agencies be set up in the north side and the south side of Limerick to drive social and economic regeneration and that 100 extra gardaí be recruited to tackle crime.
The two regeneration agencies were set up last June, with Mr Fitzgerald as chairman and former Dublin assistant city manager Mr Kenny as the chief executive.
Mr Kenny worked for many years on the regeneration of the Fatima Mansions and Ballymun estates in Dublin.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Adamstown development wins housing awards
The Adamstown housing development near Lucan, Co Dublin, has taken two of the top awards in this year's Local Authority Members Association (Lama) awards for projects benefiting the community.
The awards, which also paid tribute to an eco-community in Tipperary, a nursing home in Westmeath and a public library in west Dublin, recognise "outstanding contributions and projects of benefit to the community".
Adamstown took first place in the Best Private Housing Development and Best Affordable Housing Development categories. The new community of houses and apartments, largely aimed at first-time buyers, is due to have 10,000 homes by 2016.
Sales have slowed considerably since the first phase was launched in 2006. The long queues of buyers which greeted that and subsequent launches were absent when the latest phase of 80 units went on sale last September.
The Cloughjordan eco-village in Co Tipperary was awarded Best Environmentally Friendly Initiative. Although the village has yet to be built, the community has been granted outline planning permission for a 27-hectare (67-acre) site that will include houses and apartments, community allotments and an area for woodland and wildlife.
The new county library in Tallaght received the Best Public Building award, beating off competition from Galway City Museum and the new town hall in Carlow. Oranmore Garda station in Galway was named Best Civil Defence Building ahead of Granard fire station, Co Longford, Mullingar Garda station, Co Westmeath, and Westport fire station, Co Mayo.
In the Best Private Nursing Homes category, the award went to St Camillus Nursing Centre, Co Westmeath, and the Best Recreational Facility went to Portlaoise Leisure Centre.
Murray O'Laoire Architects, which was involved in the redevelopment of Thomond Park rugby stadium and the Athlone Town Centre shopping centre, was voted Best Architect, while Best Engineer went to Tobin Consulting Engineers.
Minister for the Environment John Gormley was guest of honour at the awards ceremony.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
The awards, which also paid tribute to an eco-community in Tipperary, a nursing home in Westmeath and a public library in west Dublin, recognise "outstanding contributions and projects of benefit to the community".
Adamstown took first place in the Best Private Housing Development and Best Affordable Housing Development categories. The new community of houses and apartments, largely aimed at first-time buyers, is due to have 10,000 homes by 2016.
Sales have slowed considerably since the first phase was launched in 2006. The long queues of buyers which greeted that and subsequent launches were absent when the latest phase of 80 units went on sale last September.
The Cloughjordan eco-village in Co Tipperary was awarded Best Environmentally Friendly Initiative. Although the village has yet to be built, the community has been granted outline planning permission for a 27-hectare (67-acre) site that will include houses and apartments, community allotments and an area for woodland and wildlife.
The new county library in Tallaght received the Best Public Building award, beating off competition from Galway City Museum and the new town hall in Carlow. Oranmore Garda station in Galway was named Best Civil Defence Building ahead of Granard fire station, Co Longford, Mullingar Garda station, Co Westmeath, and Westport fire station, Co Mayo.
In the Best Private Nursing Homes category, the award went to St Camillus Nursing Centre, Co Westmeath, and the Best Recreational Facility went to Portlaoise Leisure Centre.
Murray O'Laoire Architects, which was involved in the redevelopment of Thomond Park rugby stadium and the Athlone Town Centre shopping centre, was voted Best Architect, while Best Engineer went to Tobin Consulting Engineers.
Minister for the Environment John Gormley was guest of honour at the awards ceremony.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
First oral hearing under new fast-track planning system opens
The first public hearing to be conducted under a new fast-track planning process for major infrastructural developments will begin today.
A €500 million gas terminal at the Shannon estuary in Co Kerry is the first project to be advanced to An Bord Pleanála oral hearing stage under the new Strategic Infrastructure Act.
The Act was introduced in 2006 to stop delays in the planning system.
It allows developers to bypass county council planners and go directly to An Bord Pleanála for permission.
The hearing, on the country's first liquified natural gas terminal, will be held in the Brandon Hotel in Tralee from today.
The board has scheduled a week of sittings.
However, with 64 submissions made in relation to the application, it could take longer.
The hearing will have the same format as all other Board Pleanála public hearings.
The applicants, Shannon LNG, will present their case for the development before third parities are given an opportunity to ask questions and outline their concerns.
The terminal project will require the significant upgrading of roads, fire service and water services in north Kerry. It will involve huge gas storage tanks, a new marine jetty and unloading equipment as well as warehousing and stores and water pump houses.
At full capacity up to 125 tankers a year would arrive with gas and this will require an exclusion zone around the jetty when the ships arrive.
Up to 750 jobs will be created during the height of the construction phase.
A second strategic infrastructure hearing, in relation to an application by the Quinn Group for a natural gas turbine station at Toomes, Co Louth, will be held on Monday week at the Nuremore Hotel in Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan.
The company says the plant will be able to supply power to 230,000 homes.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
A €500 million gas terminal at the Shannon estuary in Co Kerry is the first project to be advanced to An Bord Pleanála oral hearing stage under the new Strategic Infrastructure Act.
The Act was introduced in 2006 to stop delays in the planning system.
It allows developers to bypass county council planners and go directly to An Bord Pleanála for permission.
The hearing, on the country's first liquified natural gas terminal, will be held in the Brandon Hotel in Tralee from today.
The board has scheduled a week of sittings.
However, with 64 submissions made in relation to the application, it could take longer.
The hearing will have the same format as all other Board Pleanála public hearings.
The applicants, Shannon LNG, will present their case for the development before third parities are given an opportunity to ask questions and outline their concerns.
The terminal project will require the significant upgrading of roads, fire service and water services in north Kerry. It will involve huge gas storage tanks, a new marine jetty and unloading equipment as well as warehousing and stores and water pump houses.
At full capacity up to 125 tankers a year would arrive with gas and this will require an exclusion zone around the jetty when the ships arrive.
Up to 750 jobs will be created during the height of the construction phase.
A second strategic infrastructure hearing, in relation to an application by the Quinn Group for a natural gas turbine station at Toomes, Co Louth, will be held on Monday week at the Nuremore Hotel in Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan.
The company says the plant will be able to supply power to 230,000 homes.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Planning permission sought for private hospital
The Beacon Medical Group will today seek planning permission to build a privately-operated women's, children's and maternity hospital beside the existing Beacon Hospital in Sandyford, Dublin.
The group expects to spend about €160 million on the project if it succeeds in its application. Barring any major delays to planning permission or construction, the hospital could be open in about 2½ years.
While the hospital will be privately-funded, the group has a service level agreement with the HSE and under its tax agreement, it must retain at least 20 per cent of its capacity for HSE patients.
The proposed facility will be able to use the acute, diagnostic and consulting facilities at the adjoining Beacon Hospital.
It will have 120 en suite, inpatient rooms and will have the capacity to deliver up to 3,000 babies per year. There will be a full service neo-natal intensive care unit with 24-hour obstetrician and anaesthesia coverage.
Obstetric services will include six delivery suites, with two dedicated obstetric theatres while gynaecologic services will include two dedicated gynaecologic theatres.
The hospital will employ full time obstetrician-gynaecologists as well as part-time consultants from other hospitals.
The paediatric section will include the full range of speciality services with two dedicated paediatric theatres, a 10-bed neo-natal intensive care unit and an eight-bed paediatric intensive care unit. A spokeswoman for the Beacon Medical Group accepted that a new national children's hospital was being planned but said it was unlikely to be completed within the next five to seven years.
In 2006, the Government announced that a new national children's hospital would be built on the Mater hospital site but the project has been dogged by controversy since then.
The HSE said the new hospital, costing €800 million, would be operating by the end of 2012 but staff at Crumlin and Tallaght children's hospitals have expressed their dissatisfaction at the decision to opt for the city centre site.
The medical director of Beacon Medical Group, Prof Mark Redmond said that Beacon's plans were an opportunity to deliver "outstanding healthcare to women and children" in a state-of the-art facility.
"The hospital will provide the most up-to-date international standard equipment and expertise to ensure the maximum number of patients, both private and public, can benefit from the most outstanding health care available anywhere in the world."
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
The group expects to spend about €160 million on the project if it succeeds in its application. Barring any major delays to planning permission or construction, the hospital could be open in about 2½ years.
While the hospital will be privately-funded, the group has a service level agreement with the HSE and under its tax agreement, it must retain at least 20 per cent of its capacity for HSE patients.
The proposed facility will be able to use the acute, diagnostic and consulting facilities at the adjoining Beacon Hospital.
It will have 120 en suite, inpatient rooms and will have the capacity to deliver up to 3,000 babies per year. There will be a full service neo-natal intensive care unit with 24-hour obstetrician and anaesthesia coverage.
Obstetric services will include six delivery suites, with two dedicated obstetric theatres while gynaecologic services will include two dedicated gynaecologic theatres.
The hospital will employ full time obstetrician-gynaecologists as well as part-time consultants from other hospitals.
The paediatric section will include the full range of speciality services with two dedicated paediatric theatres, a 10-bed neo-natal intensive care unit and an eight-bed paediatric intensive care unit. A spokeswoman for the Beacon Medical Group accepted that a new national children's hospital was being planned but said it was unlikely to be completed within the next five to seven years.
In 2006, the Government announced that a new national children's hospital would be built on the Mater hospital site but the project has been dogged by controversy since then.
The HSE said the new hospital, costing €800 million, would be operating by the end of 2012 but staff at Crumlin and Tallaght children's hospitals have expressed their dissatisfaction at the decision to opt for the city centre site.
The medical director of Beacon Medical Group, Prof Mark Redmond said that Beacon's plans were an opportunity to deliver "outstanding healthcare to women and children" in a state-of the-art facility.
"The hospital will provide the most up-to-date international standard equipment and expertise to ensure the maximum number of patients, both private and public, can benefit from the most outstanding health care available anywhere in the world."
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Clonmel hearing into plan for 'green' facility for waste
Bord Pleanála will begin an oral hearing in Clonmel tomorrow on a project which crystallises the national debate on how to dispose of or recycle waste.
A business consortium, Green Organics Energy Ltd (GOE), wants to build a facility for the "environmentally sustainable treatment" of waste, including animal by-products generated by the Irish meat-processing industry.
The proposed location is a "brown-field" site - a former rendering plant - at Castleblake. The townland is near the village of Rosegreen, which is four miles from Cashel and six from Clonmel, and close to Coolmore stud and Ballydoyle stables.
Some of this waste currently has to be exported for incineration because of a lack of treatment options in Ireland. It is estimated that the facility could handle almost half of all the waste produced by Irish meat processors.
GOE would use a system known as "anaerobic digestion" to break down the waste into "biogas" which would then be used to create "green" electricity for the national grid.
Tallow (fat) from the rendered animal waste would be used to make "biodiesel" fuel for use in cars or home heating.
The company claims the facility is "consistent with Government policy", and "in line with commitments under the Kyoto Treaty" for the development of "renewable energy solutions".
However, the plans have seen strong opposition.
The future of Ireland's "world-class bloodstock industry could be in jeopardy" if a waste treatment plant is built in south Tipperary, according to local Fianna Fáil TD Dr Martin Mansergh.
His fellow deputies in the three-seat Tipperary South constituency, Mattie McGrath (Fianna Fáil and Tom Hayes (Fine Gael), also oppose the facility - as does all 25 county councillors.
There are no Green Party public representatives in Tipperary South, but the party's deputy leader and only rural TD Mary White, who represents the neighbouring constituency of Carlow-Kilkenny, said she supported "the principle" of developing biofuels as an alternative to oil.
However, she would "have to be sure that there are no negative environmental consequences".
South Tipperary County Council refused planning permission for the project last year, but GOE has appealed to Bord Pleanála. So have many local objectors who all hope to copper-fasten the council's refusal. They include John Magnier's Coolmore stud farm and Ballydoyle stables which employ almost 500.
Opponents have established a group called South Tipperary for Clean Industry. Spokesman Douglas Butler claims it has the support of "90 per cent of people in the area".
The group claims that "trucking huge volumes" of waste into "Ireland's most pristine and valuable agricultural environment makes no sense"; could pose a risk to local water supplies; and cause "noxious smells".
It also disputes the amount of "green" energy that could be produced, and fears that emissions from the plant could affect "the production of high-performance racehorses".
GOE's project manager Paul Barrett declined to be interviewed but, in a written statement, the company said the facility would generate electricity to power the local towns of Cashel, Clonmel and Cahir; supply diesel to fuel 32,000 cars a year; create 100 jobs; offer "a sustainable, viable, environmentally-friendly solution to an urgent requirement for the Irish meat industry"; and invest €100 million into the local community.
The oral hearing, which is open to the public, begins at 10am tomorrow in Clonmel, and is expected to last days.
The planning inspector will then prepare a report, and a final decision from Bord Pleanála is expected by mid-March.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
A business consortium, Green Organics Energy Ltd (GOE), wants to build a facility for the "environmentally sustainable treatment" of waste, including animal by-products generated by the Irish meat-processing industry.
The proposed location is a "brown-field" site - a former rendering plant - at Castleblake. The townland is near the village of Rosegreen, which is four miles from Cashel and six from Clonmel, and close to Coolmore stud and Ballydoyle stables.
Some of this waste currently has to be exported for incineration because of a lack of treatment options in Ireland. It is estimated that the facility could handle almost half of all the waste produced by Irish meat processors.
GOE would use a system known as "anaerobic digestion" to break down the waste into "biogas" which would then be used to create "green" electricity for the national grid.
Tallow (fat) from the rendered animal waste would be used to make "biodiesel" fuel for use in cars or home heating.
The company claims the facility is "consistent with Government policy", and "in line with commitments under the Kyoto Treaty" for the development of "renewable energy solutions".
However, the plans have seen strong opposition.
The future of Ireland's "world-class bloodstock industry could be in jeopardy" if a waste treatment plant is built in south Tipperary, according to local Fianna Fáil TD Dr Martin Mansergh.
His fellow deputies in the three-seat Tipperary South constituency, Mattie McGrath (Fianna Fáil and Tom Hayes (Fine Gael), also oppose the facility - as does all 25 county councillors.
There are no Green Party public representatives in Tipperary South, but the party's deputy leader and only rural TD Mary White, who represents the neighbouring constituency of Carlow-Kilkenny, said she supported "the principle" of developing biofuels as an alternative to oil.
However, she would "have to be sure that there are no negative environmental consequences".
South Tipperary County Council refused planning permission for the project last year, but GOE has appealed to Bord Pleanála. So have many local objectors who all hope to copper-fasten the council's refusal. They include John Magnier's Coolmore stud farm and Ballydoyle stables which employ almost 500.
Opponents have established a group called South Tipperary for Clean Industry. Spokesman Douglas Butler claims it has the support of "90 per cent of people in the area".
The group claims that "trucking huge volumes" of waste into "Ireland's most pristine and valuable agricultural environment makes no sense"; could pose a risk to local water supplies; and cause "noxious smells".
It also disputes the amount of "green" energy that could be produced, and fears that emissions from the plant could affect "the production of high-performance racehorses".
GOE's project manager Paul Barrett declined to be interviewed but, in a written statement, the company said the facility would generate electricity to power the local towns of Cashel, Clonmel and Cahir; supply diesel to fuel 32,000 cars a year; create 100 jobs; offer "a sustainable, viable, environmentally-friendly solution to an urgent requirement for the Irish meat industry"; and invest €100 million into the local community.
The oral hearing, which is open to the public, begins at 10am tomorrow in Clonmel, and is expected to last days.
The planning inspector will then prepare a report, and a final decision from Bord Pleanála is expected by mid-March.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Sunday, 20 January 2008
Plan seeks 20% cut in Irish emissions
The European Commission will ask the Government to significantly cut Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 in its new climate strategy, which is designed to hit the richest EU states hardest.
It will also restrict the State's ability to invest in clean energy projects abroad to offset higher emissions at home, a move that should force the first big cuts in Irish emissions.
The draft plan due to be published next week shares the burden of reducing CO2 emissions among all 27 EU states. It also sets legally binding targets for the percentage of total energy use accounted for from renewable energy.
The plan is based on the principle that the most onerous cuts should be shouldered by the countries with the highest gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. Under this formula, Ireland, which is now the second-richest state in the EU, will face cuts of up to 20 per cent by 2020, when compared to 2005. Poor countries such as Bulgaria will be allowed to increase emissions by up to 20 per cent.
"Member-state reduction efforts should be based on the principle of solidarity between member states and the need for sustainable economic growth across the community, taking into account the relative per capita GDP of member states," says the plan, which faces tough opposition. It will be vigorously debated and amended by diplomats until it is finally published on Wednesday.
EU sources confirmed yesterday that Ireland would face among the toughest individual targets because of its prosperity and poor track record on cutting emissions. However, it will benefit from an upper cap, which restricts the maximum emissions cut demanded from a single EU state to 20 per cent when compared to its emissions in 2005.
This cap means the maximum possible cut would reduce Ireland's CO2 emissions to 55 million tonnes by 2020, which is the same level of emissions as 1990 - the base year used under the Kyoto Protocol.
Under this global strategy, Ireland was allowed to increase its emissions to a level 13 per cent above the 1990 figures but, with just four years left of the Kyoto strategy, Irish emissions are 25 per cent, or 13 million tonnes, above 1990 levels.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
It will also restrict the State's ability to invest in clean energy projects abroad to offset higher emissions at home, a move that should force the first big cuts in Irish emissions.
The draft plan due to be published next week shares the burden of reducing CO2 emissions among all 27 EU states. It also sets legally binding targets for the percentage of total energy use accounted for from renewable energy.
The plan is based on the principle that the most onerous cuts should be shouldered by the countries with the highest gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. Under this formula, Ireland, which is now the second-richest state in the EU, will face cuts of up to 20 per cent by 2020, when compared to 2005. Poor countries such as Bulgaria will be allowed to increase emissions by up to 20 per cent.
"Member-state reduction efforts should be based on the principle of solidarity between member states and the need for sustainable economic growth across the community, taking into account the relative per capita GDP of member states," says the plan, which faces tough opposition. It will be vigorously debated and amended by diplomats until it is finally published on Wednesday.
EU sources confirmed yesterday that Ireland would face among the toughest individual targets because of its prosperity and poor track record on cutting emissions. However, it will benefit from an upper cap, which restricts the maximum emissions cut demanded from a single EU state to 20 per cent when compared to its emissions in 2005.
This cap means the maximum possible cut would reduce Ireland's CO2 emissions to 55 million tonnes by 2020, which is the same level of emissions as 1990 - the base year used under the Kyoto Protocol.
Under this global strategy, Ireland was allowed to increase its emissions to a level 13 per cent above the 1990 figures but, with just four years left of the Kyoto strategy, Irish emissions are 25 per cent, or 13 million tonnes, above 1990 levels.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Three-year M50 upgrade to start
Motorists using Dublin's M50 are set for further disruption, as phase two of the €1 billion upgrade starts on Monday.
Phase two, which involves additional lanes and the rebuilding of junctions on the northern and southwestern sections of the motorway, will take three years to complete. Phase one is due for completion next August.
The latest phase is a larger and more expensive project and will cost some €650 million.
The National Roads Authority (NRA) yesterday cited commercial reasons for not revealing how much of the €650 million is to be contributed by the State. The contractor, a Spanish-Irish consortium comprising FCC Construction SA, Itinere SA and J P Hegarty and Sons will maintain and service the entire motorway for the next 35 years.
It will be paid directly by the NRA from receipts it receives from tolls levied on cars passing the West-Link bridge. A spokesman for the NRA said there are no plans to collect tolls on sections of the motorway not already tolled.
Work is to begin between the M1 and M2 junctions only, on Monday, but will be expanded as the project progresses.
A small section from the Blanchardstown interchange with the N3, to the West-Link, which has been described as phase three, has already begun.
The section from Sandyford to the junction with the M11 is not being upgraded.
Further projects to improve capacity on the N7 and N4 roads resulting from the proposed increase in capacity on the M50 are also due to get under way this year. These include a free flow, "up and over" pass for the N7 at Newlands Cross and improvements to the Palmerstown junction on the N4.
Spokesman for the NRA Seán O'Neill said that while it was true phase two was to be a year longer than phase one, there was less traffic on phase two.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Phase two, which involves additional lanes and the rebuilding of junctions on the northern and southwestern sections of the motorway, will take three years to complete. Phase one is due for completion next August.
The latest phase is a larger and more expensive project and will cost some €650 million.
The National Roads Authority (NRA) yesterday cited commercial reasons for not revealing how much of the €650 million is to be contributed by the State. The contractor, a Spanish-Irish consortium comprising FCC Construction SA, Itinere SA and J P Hegarty and Sons will maintain and service the entire motorway for the next 35 years.
It will be paid directly by the NRA from receipts it receives from tolls levied on cars passing the West-Link bridge. A spokesman for the NRA said there are no plans to collect tolls on sections of the motorway not already tolled.
Work is to begin between the M1 and M2 junctions only, on Monday, but will be expanded as the project progresses.
A small section from the Blanchardstown interchange with the N3, to the West-Link, which has been described as phase three, has already begun.
The section from Sandyford to the junction with the M11 is not being upgraded.
Further projects to improve capacity on the N7 and N4 roads resulting from the proposed increase in capacity on the M50 are also due to get under way this year. These include a free flow, "up and over" pass for the N7 at Newlands Cross and improvements to the Palmerstown junction on the N4.
Spokesman for the NRA Seán O'Neill said that while it was true phase two was to be a year longer than phase one, there was less traffic on phase two.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Top rail boss moves after criticism of Navan link
One of Irish Rail's most senior executives, who was publicly critical of the economic viability of the politically sensitive Navan-Dublin rail project, has moved from his position as project manager of Transport 21, the Government's capital investment framework for transport.
Tom Finn's move within Irish Rail came less than a month after he made a presentation to Meath councillors in which he revealed his scepticism about the reopening of the rail link.
Mr Finn told councillors earlier this month that "financially you would not touch it with a barge pole because of the costs".
It led to a sharp rebuke from Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey, whose constituency would benefit from the rail project.
Mr Dempsey's response also indicated considerable friction between his Department and Iarnrod Eireann over the project.
Mr Finn told councillors that 85 per cent of the current projected population growth was needed to justify the development of the line and even the slightest dip in population could have a significant effect on its viability.
Mr Finn, a civil engineer, expressed the view that 25 per cent of the capital costs could be provided through development levies, with the remainder being sought from the Exchequer.
The civil engineer, who has a Masters degree in transport planning and engineering, said that while the project did meet the guidelines in terms of economic appraisal, there were a lot of other projects competing for similar Exchequer funds.
His negative appraisal led to an angry response from Minister Dempsey, who immediately declared that he was "100 per cent" behind the project. "It will happen," Mr Dempsey insisted.
Mr Dempsey publicly accused Irish Rail of being "extremely conservative", and referred to a "scoping study", which had concluded that the project was a valuable one that would justify the use of public funds.
In a sideswipe at Irish Rail, Mr Demsey said: "Not only did Iarnrod Eireann use 2002 census figures, but they did not take into account the projected population growth in Trim, which is expected to go from 7,000 to 17,000 in 10 to 15 years, and similar growth in Kells."
He said that the rate of economic return from the restored rail line is marked in at 4 per cent, according to Department of Finance guidelines. Mr Dempsey said that the rate of return on the Navan-Dublin project would be 4.6 per cent, "so I have no doubt at all about the viability of it".
The reopening of the line is planned as part of the Government's Transport 21 infrastructure programme. The first phase, from Clonsilla to an interchange with the M3 at Pace, is scheduled to open within two years.
When pressed about Mr Finn's move within the organisation, a company spokesman said they would not comment on individual staff members. Mr Finn's job involved overseeing Irish Rail's role in the €34bn National Transport Strategy.
The company issued a statement to the Sunday Independent which reaffirmed the company's support for the project, stating: "Iarnrod Eireann's scoping study, and our presentation to Meath County Council, both stated that the Navan to Dunboyne line is economically viable -- this is the only criteria that matters when evaluating transport projects, be they rail, road or other public transport.
"Iarnrod Eireann's study therefore supports the development of the Navan line."
The statement continued: "The key issue for all such projects is that the economic benefits -- in terms of time savings for citizens, reduced congestion, environmental benefits and reduced road accidents amongst others -- justify the investment.
"Our consultants' report clearly states that the Navan rail line development meets and exceeds the Department of Finance's criteria in this regard, and that it is an economically viable project, as advised to Meath County Council last week.
"As stated to Meath County Council at last week's meeting, Iarnrod Eireann intends to progress this Transport 21 project with the Department of Transport, and to develop the full preliminary design and business case in accordance with the processes for new capital projects."
Mr Finn was unavailable for comment and was said to be on annual leave.
JEROME REILLY
Sunday Tribune
www.buckplanning.ie
Tom Finn's move within Irish Rail came less than a month after he made a presentation to Meath councillors in which he revealed his scepticism about the reopening of the rail link.
Mr Finn told councillors earlier this month that "financially you would not touch it with a barge pole because of the costs".
It led to a sharp rebuke from Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey, whose constituency would benefit from the rail project.
Mr Dempsey's response also indicated considerable friction between his Department and Iarnrod Eireann over the project.
Mr Finn told councillors that 85 per cent of the current projected population growth was needed to justify the development of the line and even the slightest dip in population could have a significant effect on its viability.
Mr Finn, a civil engineer, expressed the view that 25 per cent of the capital costs could be provided through development levies, with the remainder being sought from the Exchequer.
The civil engineer, who has a Masters degree in transport planning and engineering, said that while the project did meet the guidelines in terms of economic appraisal, there were a lot of other projects competing for similar Exchequer funds.
His negative appraisal led to an angry response from Minister Dempsey, who immediately declared that he was "100 per cent" behind the project. "It will happen," Mr Dempsey insisted.
Mr Dempsey publicly accused Irish Rail of being "extremely conservative", and referred to a "scoping study", which had concluded that the project was a valuable one that would justify the use of public funds.
In a sideswipe at Irish Rail, Mr Demsey said: "Not only did Iarnrod Eireann use 2002 census figures, but they did not take into account the projected population growth in Trim, which is expected to go from 7,000 to 17,000 in 10 to 15 years, and similar growth in Kells."
He said that the rate of economic return from the restored rail line is marked in at 4 per cent, according to Department of Finance guidelines. Mr Dempsey said that the rate of return on the Navan-Dublin project would be 4.6 per cent, "so I have no doubt at all about the viability of it".
The reopening of the line is planned as part of the Government's Transport 21 infrastructure programme. The first phase, from Clonsilla to an interchange with the M3 at Pace, is scheduled to open within two years.
When pressed about Mr Finn's move within the organisation, a company spokesman said they would not comment on individual staff members. Mr Finn's job involved overseeing Irish Rail's role in the €34bn National Transport Strategy.
The company issued a statement to the Sunday Independent which reaffirmed the company's support for the project, stating: "Iarnrod Eireann's scoping study, and our presentation to Meath County Council, both stated that the Navan to Dunboyne line is economically viable -- this is the only criteria that matters when evaluating transport projects, be they rail, road or other public transport.
"Iarnrod Eireann's study therefore supports the development of the Navan line."
The statement continued: "The key issue for all such projects is that the economic benefits -- in terms of time savings for citizens, reduced congestion, environmental benefits and reduced road accidents amongst others -- justify the investment.
"Our consultants' report clearly states that the Navan rail line development meets and exceeds the Department of Finance's criteria in this regard, and that it is an economically viable project, as advised to Meath County Council last week.
"As stated to Meath County Council at last week's meeting, Iarnrod Eireann intends to progress this Transport 21 project with the Department of Transport, and to develop the full preliminary design and business case in accordance with the processes for new capital projects."
Mr Finn was unavailable for comment and was said to be on annual leave.
JEROME REILLY
Sunday Tribune
www.buckplanning.ie
280m power storage plan a boost to wind farms
NATIONAL grid operator Eirgrid looks set to give the green light to a major 280m project designed to enhance the potential for wind farms in the southwest.
The plan, which is being promoted by Cork-based wind farm operator Enerco Energy, involves the construction of two new pumped storage electricity stations.
Pumped storage stations operate by pumping water up to a high-level reservoir at times of low demand before releasing it through turbines to a second, lower reservoir whenever necessary to generate electricity.
The stations, which will be located at Knocknagreenan and Kippagh Lough in County Cork, will be the first such stations built in this country since 1974. The plants will generate around 70 megawatts (MW) each.
According to Enerco's technical adviser, Eamon McKeogh, the aim of the project is to provide backup power which can replace the energy generated by wind farms when the weather is calm.
He said this would also allow extra wind capacity to be added to the national grid without sacrificing the reliability of power supplies.
McKeogh believes around 500MW worth of pumped storage generators will need to be built if Ireland is to achieve its target of generating 33% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020.
"As you bring more and more wind onto the national grid, you create variability problems but pump storage can act as a solution to this problem, " he said.
"[Our] storage is specifically designed to meet the requirements of variable inputs of wind power to the national electricity grid system 24 hours a day."
A spokesman for Eirgrid said the operator expected to offer connections to the national grid for Enerco's plants in the near future.
He indicated that the grid operator hoped to encourage further pumped storage projects in the future.
"Electricity cannot be stored as electricity in large quantities but such installations provide a method of storing energy in the form of water."
Sunday Tribune
www.buckplanning.ie
The plan, which is being promoted by Cork-based wind farm operator Enerco Energy, involves the construction of two new pumped storage electricity stations.
Pumped storage stations operate by pumping water up to a high-level reservoir at times of low demand before releasing it through turbines to a second, lower reservoir whenever necessary to generate electricity.
The stations, which will be located at Knocknagreenan and Kippagh Lough in County Cork, will be the first such stations built in this country since 1974. The plants will generate around 70 megawatts (MW) each.
According to Enerco's technical adviser, Eamon McKeogh, the aim of the project is to provide backup power which can replace the energy generated by wind farms when the weather is calm.
He said this would also allow extra wind capacity to be added to the national grid without sacrificing the reliability of power supplies.
McKeogh believes around 500MW worth of pumped storage generators will need to be built if Ireland is to achieve its target of generating 33% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020.
"As you bring more and more wind onto the national grid, you create variability problems but pump storage can act as a solution to this problem, " he said.
"[Our] storage is specifically designed to meet the requirements of variable inputs of wind power to the national electricity grid system 24 hours a day."
A spokesman for Eirgrid said the operator expected to offer connections to the national grid for Enerco's plants in the near future.
He indicated that the grid operator hoped to encourage further pumped storage projects in the future.
"Electricity cannot be stored as electricity in large quantities but such installations provide a method of storing energy in the form of water."
Sunday Tribune
www.buckplanning.ie
Sligo scheme faces opposition
SLIGO Borough Council could opt to reject proposals for the biggest mixed use development ever planned for the town, even though the authority only last month gave the green light to the project. Under the terms of an agreement reached between the council and developers Treasury Holdings, either side could opt to withdraw support for the 70m project now that an agreed deadline for the commencement of construction has expired without the project getting underway. Callside Developments, a subsidiary of Treasury, is planning to build 42 apartments in two eight/nine storey blocks, 14 retail/commercial units with 65,000sq ft of floor space and a multistorey car park with over 400 spaces at Wine Street in the town centre. However, four objections to the proposed development have now been lodged with An Bord Pleanala, further delaying a project which has already been five years in the planning. The council has now been in touch with legal advisers to consider all aspects of what it says is a 'difficult and complex' situation, including the option of rescinding the contract.
"The agreement that Treasury and the borough council entered into was that in the event of the developers not having full planning permission by the end of 2007 then either party could make the agreement null and void, " says deputy lord mayor, independent councillor, Declan Bree. "Essentially, the council and the county manager are in a position to either start the process over again, or go back and renegotiate with Treasury. You could say the ball is at the county manager's foot, so to speak. Probably they could go back to the developers and say we will work with you, but we want commitments in terms of a timescale for the project to proceed."
Traders are concerned that any further delays to the project will intensify pressure on councillors to change the local area plan to allow for edge of town retail development. People in Sligo are concerned that the chronic issue of town centre parking will be further exacerbated when construction work does finally start on the site which is centred on Wine Street, Adelaide Street, John Street and O'Connell Street. "Right across the spectrum there is a lot of anger over all of this, " Bree says. "This is a key project. Everyone knows the degree of disruption it will cause. But at the end of the day it will be worth it. And now is the time to do it."
"Parking is the most serious issue we face in Sligo, " says Fine Gael county councillor Imelda Henry. "My definite concern would be that when work does eventually start on this development the town will be in complete chaos. I have no doubt about that. It's going to be a mess.
Even as things stand, I know of people from the town who drive to Carrick on Shannon on Sunday to do their weekly shopping. There's ample parking and it's free. That is a very worrying situation."
"There's no question of anyone walking away from the Sligo plan . . . I can guarantee that, " says Niall Kavanagh, Treasury Holdings senior development manager for the project.
"Four appeals have been lodged with the planning board. We have to work through that and allay the fears and concerns people have. We accept that the issue of temporary car parking is a concern for most people. During construction we intend retaining 125 of the existing 420 spaces. There's a site across the road owned by the National Building Agency.
We're putting 85 spaces there.
"We're also applying for a temporary 300 space car park on a site that's a 10minute walk away. The Swan Hotel will be making its 200 space car park available to retailers during the day.
There are a lot of options there and I think it will work well.
"If I can get the appeals withdrawn, I think we can have the 920-space car park planned by Dunnes Stores and ourselves in place by Christmas 2009. That is key to the project. It's what the retail environment has to have."
Sunday Tribune
www.buckplanning.ie
"The agreement that Treasury and the borough council entered into was that in the event of the developers not having full planning permission by the end of 2007 then either party could make the agreement null and void, " says deputy lord mayor, independent councillor, Declan Bree. "Essentially, the council and the county manager are in a position to either start the process over again, or go back and renegotiate with Treasury. You could say the ball is at the county manager's foot, so to speak. Probably they could go back to the developers and say we will work with you, but we want commitments in terms of a timescale for the project to proceed."
Traders are concerned that any further delays to the project will intensify pressure on councillors to change the local area plan to allow for edge of town retail development. People in Sligo are concerned that the chronic issue of town centre parking will be further exacerbated when construction work does finally start on the site which is centred on Wine Street, Adelaide Street, John Street and O'Connell Street. "Right across the spectrum there is a lot of anger over all of this, " Bree says. "This is a key project. Everyone knows the degree of disruption it will cause. But at the end of the day it will be worth it. And now is the time to do it."
"Parking is the most serious issue we face in Sligo, " says Fine Gael county councillor Imelda Henry. "My definite concern would be that when work does eventually start on this development the town will be in complete chaos. I have no doubt about that. It's going to be a mess.
Even as things stand, I know of people from the town who drive to Carrick on Shannon on Sunday to do their weekly shopping. There's ample parking and it's free. That is a very worrying situation."
"There's no question of anyone walking away from the Sligo plan . . . I can guarantee that, " says Niall Kavanagh, Treasury Holdings senior development manager for the project.
"Four appeals have been lodged with the planning board. We have to work through that and allay the fears and concerns people have. We accept that the issue of temporary car parking is a concern for most people. During construction we intend retaining 125 of the existing 420 spaces. There's a site across the road owned by the National Building Agency.
We're putting 85 spaces there.
"We're also applying for a temporary 300 space car park on a site that's a 10minute walk away. The Swan Hotel will be making its 200 space car park available to retailers during the day.
There are a lot of options there and I think it will work well.
"If I can get the appeals withdrawn, I think we can have the 920-space car park planned by Dunnes Stores and ourselves in place by Christmas 2009. That is key to the project. It's what the retail environment has to have."
Sunday Tribune
www.buckplanning.ie
New 200-bed hotel planned for Vicar Street music venue
A 200-BED hotel is to be built at the Vicar Street music venue. Crosbie Properties has applied for planning permission for the hotel which will also contain artists' studios and rehearsal rooms. The new hotel will function as a showcase for emerging Irish artists and a budget of 1m has been set aside for the purchase of art works by talented young painters, sculptors and designers. The music venue will remain open during construction.
Designed by Yvonne Farrell of Grafton Architects the new hotel will be 'modern and stylish' a spokesperson for the developers says.
"The building will be located behind the music venue and will be constructed in polished concrete and will be minimalist in style.
"One trademark aspect of the new hotel will be the planned rooftop restaurant and coffee shop. The rooms will be fairly compact, but at the same time the intention is to make them as comfortable and cosy as possible. As well as toilet and shower facilities and flat screen TVs, each room will have its own balcony. And free wi-fi access will be available throughout the building."
Room rates will start at 50 to encourage students and young oversees visitors on limited budgets. Ticket/bedroom packages will be available to patrons from outside Dublin who wish to see shows in Vicar St, the new Point arena and the Libeskind theatre at Hanover Quay which is currently under construction.
"This new building will make a welcome addition to the ongoing rejuvenation of the Liberties, " the spokesman says.
"We expect that local pubs and businesses will benefit from the increased visitor numbers attracted to the area by the hotel.
"There's already one million people a year passing through the area on their way to the Guinness hop store, which is one of the most successful tourist attractions in the world.
"Subject to the granting of planning permission, we would expect work on the project to begin sometime this spring."
Sunday Tribune
www.buckplanning.ie
Designed by Yvonne Farrell of Grafton Architects the new hotel will be 'modern and stylish' a spokesperson for the developers says.
"The building will be located behind the music venue and will be constructed in polished concrete and will be minimalist in style.
"One trademark aspect of the new hotel will be the planned rooftop restaurant and coffee shop. The rooms will be fairly compact, but at the same time the intention is to make them as comfortable and cosy as possible. As well as toilet and shower facilities and flat screen TVs, each room will have its own balcony. And free wi-fi access will be available throughout the building."
Room rates will start at 50 to encourage students and young oversees visitors on limited budgets. Ticket/bedroom packages will be available to patrons from outside Dublin who wish to see shows in Vicar St, the new Point arena and the Libeskind theatre at Hanover Quay which is currently under construction.
"This new building will make a welcome addition to the ongoing rejuvenation of the Liberties, " the spokesman says.
"We expect that local pubs and businesses will benefit from the increased visitor numbers attracted to the area by the hotel.
"There's already one million people a year passing through the area on their way to the Guinness hop store, which is one of the most successful tourist attractions in the world.
"Subject to the granting of planning permission, we would expect work on the project to begin sometime this spring."
Sunday Tribune
www.buckplanning.ie
Friday, 18 January 2008
Plan aims to realize the potential of Lough Allen
Leitrim County Council has approved a draft plan which aims to unlock the enormous potential of the Lough Allen area by collectively promoting its economic, social and cultural development.
A report commissioned by the Council was presented to its monthly meeting last Monday night. Councillors were brought through the report in detail and informed of the work carried out by a steering group comprising Leitrim County Council, Roscommon County Council, Leitrim Enterprise Company, Failte Ireland Northwest, Leitrim Tourism, Waterways Ireland, Shannon Regional Fisheries Board and Arigna Leader Company.
Louise Browne, from consultants Colin Buchanan & Partners, explained the potential that Lough Allen has to offer as a key driver of economic development, in particular tourism, within the region.
Prompted by the preparation of the new County Development Plan 2009-2015 the objective of the study is to identify, assess and recommend a range of actions that will safeguard the integrity of the natural resource, meet the needs of the wider community, secure economic and social benefits and establish Lough Allen as a visitor destination in its own right.
Councillors gave the report a guarded welcome. While recognising the untapped potential of Lough Allen, many felt the implementation of reports such as these was the key issue.
Cllr Enda McGloin said the lake is completely and utterly underdeveloped, apart form the hotel in Drumshanbo. He said he hopes the Dowra development will proceed and the investment by Waterways Ireland in Ballinaglera. He said they need to pinpoint certain ideas for business that could be located on the lake, that would, in his view, encourage more cruiser traffic onto the lake.
Cllr Mary Bohan, while recognising and complimenting what has been done at Corry Strand and Spencer Harbour, said in general that what has been done round the lake has been piecemeal. She said what was positive about this particular report is that all of the agencies are involved, and she called for a positive direction to be adopted after the public consultation process.
Cllr Aodh Flynn said Lough Allen has enormous potential but he noted the absence of the OPW from this plan. He said the northern shore of the lake used to have large strands but the water level has been kept high in recent years
Cllr Gerry Dolan said there is a lot of good work that can be done in the Lough Allen area while Cllr Francis Gilmartin said the lack of fish stocks in the lakes, particularly bream, meant they were losing their valuable angling tourism industry.
Clir Michael Colreavy said there is a lot of good analysis and research done in these reports but where a lot of them fall down is in their implementation because there's no funding for that implementation.
"I think it should be part of the brief of a company developing a report such as this to work with the major funding agencies to see what can be done," he said, noting that such cooperation was not there.
Clir Martin Kenny said that very often reports are used as a lever for funding but very often you find the money has been spent but there is nothing to show for it but another nice document that sits on the shelf. "It's important we don't allow that to happen here," he said.
Cllr Sean McDermott agreed and said it is no good unless it is followed through and said the Council has to work with it until things start to happen.
Joseph Gilhooly, Director of Services, Community, Enterprise & Cultural Development, said it is important to get a framework to work within which will also hopefully get people thinking about what they can do.
The draft document will be available during public opening hours for public inspection at the office of Leitrim County Council, Aras an Chontae, Carrick-onShannon and on www.leitrimcoco.ie.
The draft plan will be available until February 13, 2008. People involved in the tourism sector and anyone who has an interest in the development of Lough Allen are encouraged to examine the draft plan and forward written submissions to Joan Lowe, Administrative Officer, Leitrim County Council, Community and Enterprise Department, Carrick-on-Shannon. Submissions received by February 27, 2008 will be taken into account in the completion of the final document.
Donal O'Grady
Leitrim Observer
www.buckplanning.ie
A report commissioned by the Council was presented to its monthly meeting last Monday night. Councillors were brought through the report in detail and informed of the work carried out by a steering group comprising Leitrim County Council, Roscommon County Council, Leitrim Enterprise Company, Failte Ireland Northwest, Leitrim Tourism, Waterways Ireland, Shannon Regional Fisheries Board and Arigna Leader Company.
Louise Browne, from consultants Colin Buchanan & Partners, explained the potential that Lough Allen has to offer as a key driver of economic development, in particular tourism, within the region.
Prompted by the preparation of the new County Development Plan 2009-2015 the objective of the study is to identify, assess and recommend a range of actions that will safeguard the integrity of the natural resource, meet the needs of the wider community, secure economic and social benefits and establish Lough Allen as a visitor destination in its own right.
Councillors gave the report a guarded welcome. While recognising the untapped potential of Lough Allen, many felt the implementation of reports such as these was the key issue.
Cllr Enda McGloin said the lake is completely and utterly underdeveloped, apart form the hotel in Drumshanbo. He said he hopes the Dowra development will proceed and the investment by Waterways Ireland in Ballinaglera. He said they need to pinpoint certain ideas for business that could be located on the lake, that would, in his view, encourage more cruiser traffic onto the lake.
Cllr Mary Bohan, while recognising and complimenting what has been done at Corry Strand and Spencer Harbour, said in general that what has been done round the lake has been piecemeal. She said what was positive about this particular report is that all of the agencies are involved, and she called for a positive direction to be adopted after the public consultation process.
Cllr Aodh Flynn said Lough Allen has enormous potential but he noted the absence of the OPW from this plan. He said the northern shore of the lake used to have large strands but the water level has been kept high in recent years
Cllr Gerry Dolan said there is a lot of good work that can be done in the Lough Allen area while Cllr Francis Gilmartin said the lack of fish stocks in the lakes, particularly bream, meant they were losing their valuable angling tourism industry.
Clir Michael Colreavy said there is a lot of good analysis and research done in these reports but where a lot of them fall down is in their implementation because there's no funding for that implementation.
"I think it should be part of the brief of a company developing a report such as this to work with the major funding agencies to see what can be done," he said, noting that such cooperation was not there.
Clir Martin Kenny said that very often reports are used as a lever for funding but very often you find the money has been spent but there is nothing to show for it but another nice document that sits on the shelf. "It's important we don't allow that to happen here," he said.
Cllr Sean McDermott agreed and said it is no good unless it is followed through and said the Council has to work with it until things start to happen.
Joseph Gilhooly, Director of Services, Community, Enterprise & Cultural Development, said it is important to get a framework to work within which will also hopefully get people thinking about what they can do.
The draft document will be available during public opening hours for public inspection at the office of Leitrim County Council, Aras an Chontae, Carrick-onShannon and on www.leitrimcoco.ie.
The draft plan will be available until February 13, 2008. People involved in the tourism sector and anyone who has an interest in the development of Lough Allen are encouraged to examine the draft plan and forward written submissions to Joan Lowe, Administrative Officer, Leitrim County Council, Community and Enterprise Department, Carrick-on-Shannon. Submissions received by February 27, 2008 will be taken into account in the completion of the final document.
Donal O'Grady
Leitrim Observer
www.buckplanning.ie
Howth developer's land jumps by EUR20m after council vote
LAND owned by a developer in Dublin jumped by between EUR12m and EUR20m in value following a decision by Fingal county councillors.
The councillors voted in favour of changing the county development plan to allow for a 64-home scheme on what has now become one of the most exclusive sites in the country.
The land, which was bought 11 years ago for an estimated £400,000 (EUR500,000), contains a disused sports hall, the stunning site overlooking Howth harbour had been zoned for recreational use.
But by a majority of 20 votes to three, councilors in Fingal changed the zoning to allow for residential development.
APPLICATION
Construction firm Pierse Contracting Ltd, which had lodged a planning application for the scheme, will now almost certainly get the go-ahead.
In return for the material contravention of the development plan, Pierse has pledged to pay the local authority EUR2m to build a new sports hall.
"It's the most beautiful site. By us passing a material contravention on that site we are increasing its value by somewhere between EUR12m and EUR20m," Anne Devitt (Fine Gael) said last night.
"I believe the 64 apartments will sell for more than EURlm each. I can't understand how any council or community group would accept a community gain (EUR2m) of so little. Never have I seen such a poor gain for such a high-value return," she added.
However, when it came to the vote she backed the material contravention.
A council report said the Edros site on Balscadden Road, south of the Martello Tower, "has been disused and abandoned as recreational space for the past number of years".
County manager David O'Connor came down strongly in favour of the material contravention. He said he has never seen a "more straightforward, public way" of dealing with a planning proposal.
"There was a huge amount of work done by local people," he added. But he slammed talk of EURlm apartments and the value of the land shooting up as a result of a contravention.
Most of the EURlm apartments around the city are empty, Mr O'Connor said, adding "to promulgate that type of myth in relation to this is a gross insult".
Howth representatives Michael Joe Cosgrave (FG), Joan Maher and David Healy (Greens) all voted for the plan. "If we don't go through with the material contravention here today (the developers) can site on that site and we don't have a community centre," Cllr Maher said.
The dissenting voices were Clare Daly (Socialist Party), Ruth Coppinger (Socialist Party) and Peter Coyle (Labour).
Penfacs, a local community group in Howth established by former county manager John Tierney, backed the proposal.
FACILITIES
Several councillors raised fears that if they did not back the plan then the developer would appeal Fingal's decision to An Bord Pleanala.
The councillors said the board could give the go ahead to the scheme and the council would be left without the EUR2m for community facilities.
ZONING: The new development will have stunning views of the popular Howth Harbour if it gets the go-ahead
Cormac Murphy
Evening Herald
www.buckplanning.ie
The councillors voted in favour of changing the county development plan to allow for a 64-home scheme on what has now become one of the most exclusive sites in the country.
The land, which was bought 11 years ago for an estimated £400,000 (EUR500,000), contains a disused sports hall, the stunning site overlooking Howth harbour had been zoned for recreational use.
But by a majority of 20 votes to three, councilors in Fingal changed the zoning to allow for residential development.
APPLICATION
Construction firm Pierse Contracting Ltd, which had lodged a planning application for the scheme, will now almost certainly get the go-ahead.
In return for the material contravention of the development plan, Pierse has pledged to pay the local authority EUR2m to build a new sports hall.
"It's the most beautiful site. By us passing a material contravention on that site we are increasing its value by somewhere between EUR12m and EUR20m," Anne Devitt (Fine Gael) said last night.
"I believe the 64 apartments will sell for more than EURlm each. I can't understand how any council or community group would accept a community gain (EUR2m) of so little. Never have I seen such a poor gain for such a high-value return," she added.
However, when it came to the vote she backed the material contravention.
A council report said the Edros site on Balscadden Road, south of the Martello Tower, "has been disused and abandoned as recreational space for the past number of years".
County manager David O'Connor came down strongly in favour of the material contravention. He said he has never seen a "more straightforward, public way" of dealing with a planning proposal.
"There was a huge amount of work done by local people," he added. But he slammed talk of EURlm apartments and the value of the land shooting up as a result of a contravention.
Most of the EURlm apartments around the city are empty, Mr O'Connor said, adding "to promulgate that type of myth in relation to this is a gross insult".
Howth representatives Michael Joe Cosgrave (FG), Joan Maher and David Healy (Greens) all voted for the plan. "If we don't go through with the material contravention here today (the developers) can site on that site and we don't have a community centre," Cllr Maher said.
The dissenting voices were Clare Daly (Socialist Party), Ruth Coppinger (Socialist Party) and Peter Coyle (Labour).
Penfacs, a local community group in Howth established by former county manager John Tierney, backed the proposal.
FACILITIES
Several councillors raised fears that if they did not back the plan then the developer would appeal Fingal's decision to An Bord Pleanala.
The councillors said the board could give the go ahead to the scheme and the council would be left without the EUR2m for community facilities.
ZONING: The new development will have stunning views of the popular Howth Harbour if it gets the go-ahead
Cormac Murphy
Evening Herald
www.buckplanning.ie
Gas station sparks huge protest in Claremorris
PLANS by a Monaghan-based company to construct a gas turbine power station in Claremorris have been met with anger and concern from local people. Risks to health, visual obtrusiveness and the potential of such a development to ‘sterilise' land in the area were all cited as reasons to oppose the project at a public meeting last week.
Chaired by Chamber of Commerce President, John Killeen, the meeting was attended by up to 500 Claremorris residents and the message and it was summed up by local woman Patricia Kean: "The people of Claremorris welcome development, but not development of this sort...thanks but no thanks!"
Mountside Properties Ltd from Monaghan are proposing to develop a gas turbine power station at the Claremorris Business Park in Boher-duff. The site for the business park, which is owned by Mayo County Council, lies just off the main N17 close to the entrance to Claremorris and, according to the attendance at the public meeting, there is simply no way this planning application can be given the go-ahead.
Mr Killeen told the meeting that the 3.9 acre site being purchased by Mountside would house a development with a •135million build cost. The plant would run on natural gas and low-sulphur gas and oil. Five people would be employed full-time at the plant in low-grade maintenance jobs.
If built, the plant will have an output of 100 megawatts of electricity --more than that produced at the Lanes-borough station. The Claremorris area uses just 8mw of electricity and has a capacity for 15mw from the Kilbeg sub-station. The entire county uses 100mw.
At the company's plant in Tynagh, Co Galway, there are 12 houses within a 1km radius, whereas, within 1km of the Claremorris site there is St Colman's College, numerous housing developments and private houses, the local Catholic Church, as well as many of the town's businesses. Mr Killeen noted that the Claremorris proposal is one of seven applications by the company throughout Ireland and, in one of their applications, the company turned down a site because of its view from a primary road.
"Why therefore are they prepared to build a station just off the N17?" questioned Mr Killeen.
In addition, Mr Killeen pointed out that the company plans to store 1,180 cubic metres of sulphur oil on site as a five-day back-up, should there be an interruption in supply. He also noted that there would be little or no economic gain for Claremorris, with just five people employed on site.
Local businessman, Liam Smyth, said the plant would have the capacity to develop at least 200mw and spoke about the large stacks that will greet visitors to the town. Mr Smyth stressed the severity of the potential health risk, as well as remarking that the plant could well sterilise the site where the Council is planning to develop a business park for "high-tech industries of the future, not the past".
In relation to the Town Plan, he stated that most of the land in the vicinity of the site is zoned for residential development but remarked that with a ‘visual eyesore' like this in place, it would ‘stifle' growth. Mr Smyth also spoke of the company's application in Cork, which the Council Architect remarked would be a ‘potential visible disaster'.
Martin Cunniffe agreed with Mr Smyth, saying that with 3,000 people living in the vicinity and large amounts of chemicals and toxins being emitted, there would be serious health implications, especially for those already suffering with asthma, allergies or other respiratory illnesses.
Mr Cunniffe explained that the Tynagh plant is built on 1,000 acres of wasteland, a marked contrast to the proposed plant for Claremorris.
The comments of the various speakers were echoed by the Chairman.
"The people of Claremorris have worked long and hard to make this a town of the future, not one that resembles the past," said Mr Killeen.
Cróna Esler
Western People
www.buckplanning.ie
Chaired by Chamber of Commerce President, John Killeen, the meeting was attended by up to 500 Claremorris residents and the message and it was summed up by local woman Patricia Kean: "The people of Claremorris welcome development, but not development of this sort...thanks but no thanks!"
Mountside Properties Ltd from Monaghan are proposing to develop a gas turbine power station at the Claremorris Business Park in Boher-duff. The site for the business park, which is owned by Mayo County Council, lies just off the main N17 close to the entrance to Claremorris and, according to the attendance at the public meeting, there is simply no way this planning application can be given the go-ahead.
Mr Killeen told the meeting that the 3.9 acre site being purchased by Mountside would house a development with a •135million build cost. The plant would run on natural gas and low-sulphur gas and oil. Five people would be employed full-time at the plant in low-grade maintenance jobs.
If built, the plant will have an output of 100 megawatts of electricity --more than that produced at the Lanes-borough station. The Claremorris area uses just 8mw of electricity and has a capacity for 15mw from the Kilbeg sub-station. The entire county uses 100mw.
At the company's plant in Tynagh, Co Galway, there are 12 houses within a 1km radius, whereas, within 1km of the Claremorris site there is St Colman's College, numerous housing developments and private houses, the local Catholic Church, as well as many of the town's businesses. Mr Killeen noted that the Claremorris proposal is one of seven applications by the company throughout Ireland and, in one of their applications, the company turned down a site because of its view from a primary road.
"Why therefore are they prepared to build a station just off the N17?" questioned Mr Killeen.
In addition, Mr Killeen pointed out that the company plans to store 1,180 cubic metres of sulphur oil on site as a five-day back-up, should there be an interruption in supply. He also noted that there would be little or no economic gain for Claremorris, with just five people employed on site.
Local businessman, Liam Smyth, said the plant would have the capacity to develop at least 200mw and spoke about the large stacks that will greet visitors to the town. Mr Smyth stressed the severity of the potential health risk, as well as remarking that the plant could well sterilise the site where the Council is planning to develop a business park for "high-tech industries of the future, not the past".
In relation to the Town Plan, he stated that most of the land in the vicinity of the site is zoned for residential development but remarked that with a ‘visual eyesore' like this in place, it would ‘stifle' growth. Mr Smyth also spoke of the company's application in Cork, which the Council Architect remarked would be a ‘potential visible disaster'.
Martin Cunniffe agreed with Mr Smyth, saying that with 3,000 people living in the vicinity and large amounts of chemicals and toxins being emitted, there would be serious health implications, especially for those already suffering with asthma, allergies or other respiratory illnesses.
Mr Cunniffe explained that the Tynagh plant is built on 1,000 acres of wasteland, a marked contrast to the proposed plant for Claremorris.
The comments of the various speakers were echoed by the Chairman.
"The people of Claremorris have worked long and hard to make this a town of the future, not one that resembles the past," said Mr Killeen.
Cróna Esler
Western People
www.buckplanning.ie
Waterford railway station gets green light despite objections
A €17m redevelopment of Waterford's Plunkett Station, by Iarnród Éireann, is set to go ahead despite objections.
Twenty conditions have been attached to the granting of planning permission which has been given the green light by An Bord Pleanála. Iarnród Éireann are planning a major upgrade of the office building facade, an extension of passenger facilities and the provision of a new multi-storey car park with 328 parking spaces. Planning permission was granted by the City Council, last May, but that was appealed to An Bord Pleanála by An Taisce and by Brendan McCann of 169 Viewmount.
An Taisce maintained that the multi-storey car park, because of its size, would not do justice to its natural setting.
It was also maintained that the ‘sheer size of the car park would overpower the adjacent signal box.
Issue was also taken with the materials to be used which An Taisce said would soon become dirty, polluted and would rapidly go out of fashion.
Other issues of concern centred on billboard advertising and it was stated that the development should be considered within the context of the larger landholding of the company. Brendan McCann who has been to the forefront in objecting to developments in the city also highlighted the ‘poor weathering characteristics of materials to be used on the car park building and in the cladding of the existing railway station.
His additional grounds of appeal outlined how the existing single storey red brick building as well as the platform canopies should be retained. If planning permission were granted it should be subject of a condition regulating the use of the multi-storey car park. "The proposal," added Brendan McCann, "ran contrary to the provisions of the Waterford PLUTS in that it precluded the proposal for a new rail passenger facility on the North Quays.
Last, but not least, "The proposal would create a potential traffic safety hazard by generating bus access directly onto the existing roundabout," Brendan McCann told An Bord Pleanála. Among the twenty conditions which have been set down by An Bord Pleanála is a specific stipulation on parking.
Prior to the multilevel car parking being brought into use there must be a written submission for the agreement of the planning authority a scheme indicating how a proportion of the 328 parking spaces shall be reserved and retained solely for the use of rail customers and passengers.
The reason for that stipulation is to ensure that the objectives of the development plan are met with regard to facilitating sustainable commuter travel opportunities on public transport.
A new fleet of trains is set to operate an expanded Waterford-Dublin service later this year with trains planned every two hours in each direction all day.
Work on the new station will get underway short-ly and will take some eighteen months to complete.
Marion O'Mara
Waterford News and Star
www.buckplanning.ie
Twenty conditions have been attached to the granting of planning permission which has been given the green light by An Bord Pleanála. Iarnród Éireann are planning a major upgrade of the office building facade, an extension of passenger facilities and the provision of a new multi-storey car park with 328 parking spaces. Planning permission was granted by the City Council, last May, but that was appealed to An Bord Pleanála by An Taisce and by Brendan McCann of 169 Viewmount.
An Taisce maintained that the multi-storey car park, because of its size, would not do justice to its natural setting.
It was also maintained that the ‘sheer size of the car park would overpower the adjacent signal box.
Issue was also taken with the materials to be used which An Taisce said would soon become dirty, polluted and would rapidly go out of fashion.
Other issues of concern centred on billboard advertising and it was stated that the development should be considered within the context of the larger landholding of the company. Brendan McCann who has been to the forefront in objecting to developments in the city also highlighted the ‘poor weathering characteristics of materials to be used on the car park building and in the cladding of the existing railway station.
His additional grounds of appeal outlined how the existing single storey red brick building as well as the platform canopies should be retained. If planning permission were granted it should be subject of a condition regulating the use of the multi-storey car park. "The proposal," added Brendan McCann, "ran contrary to the provisions of the Waterford PLUTS in that it precluded the proposal for a new rail passenger facility on the North Quays.
Last, but not least, "The proposal would create a potential traffic safety hazard by generating bus access directly onto the existing roundabout," Brendan McCann told An Bord Pleanála. Among the twenty conditions which have been set down by An Bord Pleanála is a specific stipulation on parking.
Prior to the multilevel car parking being brought into use there must be a written submission for the agreement of the planning authority a scheme indicating how a proportion of the 328 parking spaces shall be reserved and retained solely for the use of rail customers and passengers.
The reason for that stipulation is to ensure that the objectives of the development plan are met with regard to facilitating sustainable commuter travel opportunities on public transport.
A new fleet of trains is set to operate an expanded Waterford-Dublin service later this year with trains planned every two hours in each direction all day.
Work on the new station will get underway short-ly and will take some eighteen months to complete.
Marion O'Mara
Waterford News and Star
www.buckplanning.ie
Demolition before Decentralisation
ENNISCORTHY TOWN Council has published notice that it proposes to demolish the former Presentation Convent in Enniscorthy.
The site has been earmarked for the proposed decentralisation of An Bord Bia and An Bord Glas to the town, having been deemed suitable by the Office of Public Works (OPW) a number of years ago.
The existing convent building on Nunnery Road, however, is not suitable for adaptation as modern-day offices.
Padraig O'Gorman, Town Clerk, confirmed that the Council is seeking to demolish the convent but retain and secure the adjoining Presentation Chapel.
The Chapel will remain in the ownership of the Town Council. Renamed the Eileen Gray Community Centre, it will be used as an exhibition and performance space, as well as a facility for community meetings and events.
The old nuns' graveyard, also in the grounds of the convent, will transfer to the OPW which will take over responsibility for its maintenance, allowing access to the public.
"We have started part eight of the planning process, to demolish the site," said Mr. O'Gorman, explaining that the OPW would acquire the site once it is cleared.
"From their point of view it is cleaner that they buy a clear secured site for construction."
Mr. O'Gorman assured that the contracts had already been prepared for the OPW's acquisition of the land for the purposes of decentralisation. If for any reason the decentralisation is prevented from taking place, the land will revert back to the Town Council, he said.
"There is a condition in the contract that if the site is not used for the purposes of decentralisation, the deal will fall through."
Mr. O'Gorman is confident that this will not happen.
"The understanding we have is that Enniscorthy decentralisation is one that they can progress. Co. Wexford has been very successful to date with decentralisation the Department of Agriculture's move to Johnstown Castle has been one of the most successful to date in the country," he said.
Once the Presentation Convent is demolished and the site's ownership transferred, the OPW will have to apply for planning permission for approval for the new offices.
It is envisaged that the move of both Bord Bia and Bord Glas to Enniscorthy will generate 100 jobs for the town. Meanwhile, the Eileen Gray Community Centre should be open to the public by late summer 2008. Although originally planned to be opened earlier, the Council decided to wait until the demolition work had been completed.
Mary Frances Ryan
Enniscorthy Echo
www.buckplanning.ie
The site has been earmarked for the proposed decentralisation of An Bord Bia and An Bord Glas to the town, having been deemed suitable by the Office of Public Works (OPW) a number of years ago.
The existing convent building on Nunnery Road, however, is not suitable for adaptation as modern-day offices.
Padraig O'Gorman, Town Clerk, confirmed that the Council is seeking to demolish the convent but retain and secure the adjoining Presentation Chapel.
The Chapel will remain in the ownership of the Town Council. Renamed the Eileen Gray Community Centre, it will be used as an exhibition and performance space, as well as a facility for community meetings and events.
The old nuns' graveyard, also in the grounds of the convent, will transfer to the OPW which will take over responsibility for its maintenance, allowing access to the public.
"We have started part eight of the planning process, to demolish the site," said Mr. O'Gorman, explaining that the OPW would acquire the site once it is cleared.
"From their point of view it is cleaner that they buy a clear secured site for construction."
Mr. O'Gorman assured that the contracts had already been prepared for the OPW's acquisition of the land for the purposes of decentralisation. If for any reason the decentralisation is prevented from taking place, the land will revert back to the Town Council, he said.
"There is a condition in the contract that if the site is not used for the purposes of decentralisation, the deal will fall through."
Mr. O'Gorman is confident that this will not happen.
"The understanding we have is that Enniscorthy decentralisation is one that they can progress. Co. Wexford has been very successful to date with decentralisation the Department of Agriculture's move to Johnstown Castle has been one of the most successful to date in the country," he said.
Once the Presentation Convent is demolished and the site's ownership transferred, the OPW will have to apply for planning permission for approval for the new offices.
It is envisaged that the move of both Bord Bia and Bord Glas to Enniscorthy will generate 100 jobs for the town. Meanwhile, the Eileen Gray Community Centre should be open to the public by late summer 2008. Although originally planned to be opened earlier, the Council decided to wait until the demolition work had been completed.
Mary Frances Ryan
Enniscorthy Echo
www.buckplanning.ie
Residents: Relocated families disrupting estates
A NEWLY formed alliance of residents’ groups in Limerick yesterday claimed families being moved to the suburbs from Southill and Moyross, as part of the regeneration programme for the vast council estates, are already causing trouble.
The Concerned Residents Alliance said once-peaceful neighbourhoods are being disrupted by former council tenants.
CRA held a series of meetings in Ballinacurra, Caherdavin, Castletroy, Corbally, Doordoyle, Patrickswell, Raheen and Rosbrien.
In an open letter yesterday to the Limerick city manager Tom Mackey and Limerick county manager Ned Gleeson, the CRA said: “While we accept most of those families who are relocated are law abiding, some families that might be described as ‘marginal’ or ‘at risk’ are disrupting once-peaceful estates.”
They claim displacing problems have devalued property in the suburbs.
The statement added: “Community interests have been abandoned. It would seem the present priority of both the local authorities and the newly established regeneration agencies is to pave the way for developers by clearing the land of people.”
CRA claim there is an ongoing problem with landlords renting to former council tenants who engage in antisocial behaviour.
CRA state: “These people are still in effect council tenants and should be subject to the same rules as those renting directly from the council. Defining these tenants as anything other than council tenants is merely abdicating responsibility on the grounds of a technicality and effectively undermining confidence of the wider community in the council’s commitment to the areas concerned.”
CRA said the reality of increased antisocial behaviour caused by former council tenants had made residents in some suburban areas desperate to get out to live normal lives.
“The policy of purchasing houses in private estates to rehouse people is having a negative affect,” it said.
CRA agrees the regeneration plan for Southill, Moyross and Ballinacurra Weston presents an opportunity for Limerick. “It can remedy existing problems and make Limerick a positive example to the rest of the country rather than a cautionary tale. We would hope what is put in place is not a stop-gap measure, but a permanent solution to the ills of the city.”
The association has called for a meeting with the city and county managers.
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
The Concerned Residents Alliance said once-peaceful neighbourhoods are being disrupted by former council tenants.
CRA held a series of meetings in Ballinacurra, Caherdavin, Castletroy, Corbally, Doordoyle, Patrickswell, Raheen and Rosbrien.
In an open letter yesterday to the Limerick city manager Tom Mackey and Limerick county manager Ned Gleeson, the CRA said: “While we accept most of those families who are relocated are law abiding, some families that might be described as ‘marginal’ or ‘at risk’ are disrupting once-peaceful estates.”
They claim displacing problems have devalued property in the suburbs.
The statement added: “Community interests have been abandoned. It would seem the present priority of both the local authorities and the newly established regeneration agencies is to pave the way for developers by clearing the land of people.”
CRA claim there is an ongoing problem with landlords renting to former council tenants who engage in antisocial behaviour.
CRA state: “These people are still in effect council tenants and should be subject to the same rules as those renting directly from the council. Defining these tenants as anything other than council tenants is merely abdicating responsibility on the grounds of a technicality and effectively undermining confidence of the wider community in the council’s commitment to the areas concerned.”
CRA said the reality of increased antisocial behaviour caused by former council tenants had made residents in some suburban areas desperate to get out to live normal lives.
“The policy of purchasing houses in private estates to rehouse people is having a negative affect,” it said.
CRA agrees the regeneration plan for Southill, Moyross and Ballinacurra Weston presents an opportunity for Limerick. “It can remedy existing problems and make Limerick a positive example to the rest of the country rather than a cautionary tale. We would hope what is put in place is not a stop-gap measure, but a permanent solution to the ills of the city.”
The association has called for a meeting with the city and county managers.
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
Breath of fresh air as Dublin beats all
Dublin has been named alongside London as the "cleanest" of 26 cities examined for pollution linked to premature death.
The capital has been helped by the smokey coal ban of many years which, the study pointed out, led to a fall in air pollution and a reduced number of deaths.
The findings, published today, follow a study of fine-particulate-matter pollution which is associated with an increase in death from all causes, particularly respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
The research in the 'Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health' said the EU wants to cap average levels of fine-particulate-matter pollution at 20 micrograms per cubic metre of air by 2010, but the equivalent standard recommended by the World Health Organisation is 10.
Estimated average annual levels of fine particulate matter ranged from 17 to 61 micrograms per cubic metre of air. Dublin had a level below 10.
Eilish O'Regan
www.buckplanning.ie
The capital has been helped by the smokey coal ban of many years which, the study pointed out, led to a fall in air pollution and a reduced number of deaths.
The findings, published today, follow a study of fine-particulate-matter pollution which is associated with an increase in death from all causes, particularly respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
The research in the 'Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health' said the EU wants to cap average levels of fine-particulate-matter pollution at 20 micrograms per cubic metre of air by 2010, but the equivalent standard recommended by the World Health Organisation is 10.
Estimated average annual levels of fine particulate matter ranged from 17 to 61 micrograms per cubic metre of air. Dublin had a level below 10.
Eilish O'Regan
www.buckplanning.ie
Thursday, 17 January 2008
Nuns' €40m housing bid sparks unholy traffic row
A housing scheme worth €40m planned by an order of nuns for an exclusive site has aroused bitter opposition.
The planning application has been lodged by the Sisters of Mercy for a 12-acre site next to St Anne's Children's Centre in Galway and alongside some of the most expensive homes in the West.
But the scheme is being bitterly opposed by local residents who are predicting that it would cause traffic chaos in the already-congested area.
The nuns are seeking permission for a total of 126 detached and semi-detached homes, and a five storey apartment block on the site. Access would be from Rosary Lane, currently the scene of daily traffic jams arising from children being dropped off and collected at two local schools.
The plan has also sparked anger among historians because the site contains the remains of the historic 19th Lenaboy Castle. It was to Lenaboy Castle that local curate Fr Michael Griffin was taken in 1920 on the night he was murdered, allegedly by the Black and Tans.
Residents of Taylor's Hill and Devon Park are campaigning to have the application rejected and will meet city planners to outline their concerns tomorrow. Two public meetings to co-ordinate the opposition have already been held.
A number of city councillors are backing the residents in their bid to have the plan turned down and are urging the City Council to consider purchasing the valuable site for a public amenity park.
Cllr Catherine Connolly described the plan as "utterly out of keeping with the area" and insisted it was not sustainable.
"It is extraordinary that the Sisters of Mercy should be in the business of development in this manner", she said.
"I believe it is a golden opportunity for the Sisters of Mercy to give back to the city and also a special way of cherishing and remembering and paying tribute to those children who we failed as a society and who were obliged to live in what was then known as Lenaboy Industrial School -- in extremely sad and distressing conditions", added Cllr Connolly.
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
The planning application has been lodged by the Sisters of Mercy for a 12-acre site next to St Anne's Children's Centre in Galway and alongside some of the most expensive homes in the West.
But the scheme is being bitterly opposed by local residents who are predicting that it would cause traffic chaos in the already-congested area.
The nuns are seeking permission for a total of 126 detached and semi-detached homes, and a five storey apartment block on the site. Access would be from Rosary Lane, currently the scene of daily traffic jams arising from children being dropped off and collected at two local schools.
The plan has also sparked anger among historians because the site contains the remains of the historic 19th Lenaboy Castle. It was to Lenaboy Castle that local curate Fr Michael Griffin was taken in 1920 on the night he was murdered, allegedly by the Black and Tans.
Residents of Taylor's Hill and Devon Park are campaigning to have the application rejected and will meet city planners to outline their concerns tomorrow. Two public meetings to co-ordinate the opposition have already been held.
A number of city councillors are backing the residents in their bid to have the plan turned down and are urging the City Council to consider purchasing the valuable site for a public amenity park.
Cllr Catherine Connolly described the plan as "utterly out of keeping with the area" and insisted it was not sustainable.
"It is extraordinary that the Sisters of Mercy should be in the business of development in this manner", she said.
"I believe it is a golden opportunity for the Sisters of Mercy to give back to the city and also a special way of cherishing and remembering and paying tribute to those children who we failed as a society and who were obliged to live in what was then known as Lenaboy Industrial School -- in extremely sad and distressing conditions", added Cllr Connolly.
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Future proof homes and communities
New laws mean that buildings will have to be more energy efficient and a conference will tell those in the industry how to make buildings comply, writes Emma Cullinan.
A spate of energy requirements is affecting property owners as legislation in this area takes hold.
There are two main stipulations: one which says property owners must provide a BER (Building Energy Rating) certificate when they sell up, to show just how energy efficient - or not - the property is, while a change to the Building Regulations requires properties to be 40 per cent more energy efficient and produce less C02 than they did in 2005, to comply with Building Regs then.
This will apply to new housing going for planning permission after this July and later on it will apply to existing buildings.
In a few years' time the government will look at stretching the requirements to a 60 per cent improvement.
A number of studies have found that achieving the 40 per cent improvement can be done a number of ways and won't require a substantial change in the way we build, whereas a 60 per cent improvement would.
When it comes to creating more energy efficient buildings the weak points tend to be the quality of workmanship: airtight windows, for instance, can be let down by being badly fitted and having gaps beside them.
"There is no point in having the Rolls Royce of windows if they are not put in well, because that can cause a lot of leakage," says Sarah Neary of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, who will be discussing the new legislation at the Energy Efficiency for Sustainable Communities conference in Dublin on January 28th.
The ways in which people can up their energy ratings will include improving wall, roof and floor insulation, she says, as well as perhaps adding in renewable energy, such as solar panels, and making a building more airtight, with the help, for instance, of high performance windows.
While having a completely airtight home usually requires mechanical ventilation, to avoid damp problems, it is possible to achieve a certain airtightness level with natural ventilation. "You just have to design in the ventilation rather than letting it happen by itself," says Neary.
Other areas where improvements can be made include low-energy lighting and better boilers. In fact, says Neary, anyone replacing a boiler will be required to have a much more efficient one, such as a condensing boiler that captures waste heat and reuses it. "Regulations will require boilers to have an 85 per cent efficiency," she says.
The DoEHLG has been involved in a number of eco-friendly social housing projects, including one in York Street, in the centre of Dublin, which will be presented at the conference, as will the Elm Park development by Bucholz McEvoy Architects, which is privately funded.
This low energy, high density €310 million development includes a crèche, private hospital, offices, apartments, senior citizen housing, and a restaurant.
The entire scheme has a combined heat and power generation system powered by woodchips, with electricity generated on site and hot water created as a by-product.
The orientation and depth of the office buildings has been designed to make the most of natural ventilation and light.
Thin atria to the sides of the office blocks accommodate gardens that rise through the offices providing stack-effect ventilation (this sucks up air through a building) to create a natural air flow.
The apartments are set along a north-south axis with the bedrooms on the east side getting the morning sun and the living areas on the west side basking in the afternoons and evenings. These apartments will have enclosed terraces - or sky conservatories - with all sorts of ventilators to create various forces of air-flow.
On site facilities, such as the crèche, medical centre and restaurant, are the types of elements needed to make a scheme sustainable and future proof, especially outside large towns. Architect Martin Colreavy of the DoEHLG, who has a masters in urban design, will be explaining how to design better neighbourhoods, that are socially, environmentally and economically sustainable.
This has been such a contentious area, with the plethora of home-only estates on the edges of towns with no community facilities, shops and medical centres. "We can future-proof our cities and towns against unsustainable development," says Colreavy.
The DoEHLG is keen that local authorities lead by example, says Aidan O'Connor, of the DoEHLG, who is co-chairing the conference with architect Toal Ó Muiré, "and you can already see how that has happened in new government offices around the country.
"We are looking for consolidated urban forms, with housing, schools and commercial and medical facilities on the one site, cutting down the need for transport. The focus needs to be on lifestyle, with people walking to school, cycling to work and using public transport.
"There is no point in having a 4x4 parked outside a home that is full of eco-gadgets."
The Energy Efficiency for Sustainable Communities conference will be held at Dublin Castle on Monday, January 28th.
A tour of sustainable buildings, including Elm Park, Hanover Quay, York Street and the Green Building, will run the day before. Contact Mary Bruton at 01-240 3640, mbruton@ipa.ie or www.chr.ie
In October there will be a PLEA (Passive and Low Energy Architecture) conference at UCD called Towards Low Energy Building. Architects and researchers who wish to present at the conference should send abstracts on www.plea2008.org
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
A spate of energy requirements is affecting property owners as legislation in this area takes hold.
There are two main stipulations: one which says property owners must provide a BER (Building Energy Rating) certificate when they sell up, to show just how energy efficient - or not - the property is, while a change to the Building Regulations requires properties to be 40 per cent more energy efficient and produce less C02 than they did in 2005, to comply with Building Regs then.
This will apply to new housing going for planning permission after this July and later on it will apply to existing buildings.
In a few years' time the government will look at stretching the requirements to a 60 per cent improvement.
A number of studies have found that achieving the 40 per cent improvement can be done a number of ways and won't require a substantial change in the way we build, whereas a 60 per cent improvement would.
When it comes to creating more energy efficient buildings the weak points tend to be the quality of workmanship: airtight windows, for instance, can be let down by being badly fitted and having gaps beside them.
"There is no point in having the Rolls Royce of windows if they are not put in well, because that can cause a lot of leakage," says Sarah Neary of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, who will be discussing the new legislation at the Energy Efficiency for Sustainable Communities conference in Dublin on January 28th.
The ways in which people can up their energy ratings will include improving wall, roof and floor insulation, she says, as well as perhaps adding in renewable energy, such as solar panels, and making a building more airtight, with the help, for instance, of high performance windows.
While having a completely airtight home usually requires mechanical ventilation, to avoid damp problems, it is possible to achieve a certain airtightness level with natural ventilation. "You just have to design in the ventilation rather than letting it happen by itself," says Neary.
Other areas where improvements can be made include low-energy lighting and better boilers. In fact, says Neary, anyone replacing a boiler will be required to have a much more efficient one, such as a condensing boiler that captures waste heat and reuses it. "Regulations will require boilers to have an 85 per cent efficiency," she says.
The DoEHLG has been involved in a number of eco-friendly social housing projects, including one in York Street, in the centre of Dublin, which will be presented at the conference, as will the Elm Park development by Bucholz McEvoy Architects, which is privately funded.
This low energy, high density €310 million development includes a crèche, private hospital, offices, apartments, senior citizen housing, and a restaurant.
The entire scheme has a combined heat and power generation system powered by woodchips, with electricity generated on site and hot water created as a by-product.
The orientation and depth of the office buildings has been designed to make the most of natural ventilation and light.
Thin atria to the sides of the office blocks accommodate gardens that rise through the offices providing stack-effect ventilation (this sucks up air through a building) to create a natural air flow.
The apartments are set along a north-south axis with the bedrooms on the east side getting the morning sun and the living areas on the west side basking in the afternoons and evenings. These apartments will have enclosed terraces - or sky conservatories - with all sorts of ventilators to create various forces of air-flow.
On site facilities, such as the crèche, medical centre and restaurant, are the types of elements needed to make a scheme sustainable and future proof, especially outside large towns. Architect Martin Colreavy of the DoEHLG, who has a masters in urban design, will be explaining how to design better neighbourhoods, that are socially, environmentally and economically sustainable.
This has been such a contentious area, with the plethora of home-only estates on the edges of towns with no community facilities, shops and medical centres. "We can future-proof our cities and towns against unsustainable development," says Colreavy.
The DoEHLG is keen that local authorities lead by example, says Aidan O'Connor, of the DoEHLG, who is co-chairing the conference with architect Toal Ó Muiré, "and you can already see how that has happened in new government offices around the country.
"We are looking for consolidated urban forms, with housing, schools and commercial and medical facilities on the one site, cutting down the need for transport. The focus needs to be on lifestyle, with people walking to school, cycling to work and using public transport.
"There is no point in having a 4x4 parked outside a home that is full of eco-gadgets."
The Energy Efficiency for Sustainable Communities conference will be held at Dublin Castle on Monday, January 28th.
A tour of sustainable buildings, including Elm Park, Hanover Quay, York Street and the Green Building, will run the day before. Contact Mary Bruton at 01-240 3640, mbruton@ipa.ie or www.chr.ie
In October there will be a PLEA (Passive and Low Energy Architecture) conference at UCD called Towards Low Energy Building. Architects and researchers who wish to present at the conference should send abstracts on www.plea2008.org
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
21 apartments planned athotel in west Cork
Hanratty Holdings is seeking planning permission from Cork County Council to build a development at the Eccles Hotel in Glengarriff, Co Cork which is a protected structure. The company is proposing a four-storey block of 21 apartments attached to the eastern end of the hotel. This will involve the demolition of 24 hotel bedrooms and a bar at ground floor level. There is also a proposal to convert and change the use of the single storey at the rear of the hotel from a function room to a leisure centre.
In 1997 a proposal by Glengarriff Demesne Ltd to build the first four houses of a proposed holiday village in woodland behind the Eccles Hotel was refused planning permission by An Bord Pleanála on foot of an appeal by An Taisce. The board's planning inspector said at the time that there was also a "basic and inherent conflict" between protection of the woodland and the holiday home zoning.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
In 1997 a proposal by Glengarriff Demesne Ltd to build the first four houses of a proposed holiday village in woodland behind the Eccles Hotel was refused planning permission by An Bord Pleanála on foot of an appeal by An Taisce. The board's planning inspector said at the time that there was also a "basic and inherent conflict" between protection of the woodland and the holiday home zoning.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Grehan plans apartments and leisure centre at Stillorgan site
Ray Grehan's Glenkerrin Homes is seeking planning permission from Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council to change part of a previously approved residential, office and retail development at The Grange, Stillorgan, Co Dublin.
Glenkerrin Homes is looking to replace the previously approved nursing home to the rear of Grange Cottages with an 87-unit apartment development and a leisure centre, which would be open to the public and have 139 car-parking spaces over two basement levels.
The apartment development would be in two blocks - one five-storey block and the other nine storeys.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Glenkerrin Homes is looking to replace the previously approved nursing home to the rear of Grange Cottages with an 87-unit apartment development and a leisure centre, which would be open to the public and have 139 car-parking spaces over two basement levels.
The apartment development would be in two blocks - one five-storey block and the other nine storeys.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
29 houses planned for Sean Barron's former Killiney house
The former home of the man behind the Pamela Scott brand, Seán Barron, is the subject of a planning application to Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.
O'Flynn Construction is looking to build 29 homes on 2.82 acres at Broadlands on Ballinclea Road in Killiney, Co Dublin - opposite the entrance to Killiney Golf Club - which Barron sold in October 2006 for €22 million.
The developer is proposing three detached houses, 22 semi-detached houses and four terraced houses, and to demolish the existing house. The proposed scheme is in a mix of three and four-bed houses.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
O'Flynn Construction is looking to build 29 homes on 2.82 acres at Broadlands on Ballinclea Road in Killiney, Co Dublin - opposite the entrance to Killiney Golf Club - which Barron sold in October 2006 for €22 million.
The developer is proposing three detached houses, 22 semi-detached houses and four terraced houses, and to demolish the existing house. The proposed scheme is in a mix of three and four-bed houses.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Locals appeal Aldi's plan for 175 homes at Finglas site
Aldi's proposal to build 175 apartments on the former Premier Dairies site in Finglas, Dublin 11 has been opposed by local residents.
Dublin City Council granted permission for three apartment blocks from six to eight storeys last November but this has been appealed to An Bord Pleanála by two parties.
This is the latest twist in a long running planning saga and the third time the discount supermarket chain has sought permission on the large site on the Finglas Road in Dublin 11.
In 2004, both Dublin City Council and An Bord Pleanála refused permission for a single storey discount food store on a 0.77-hectare part of the site.
The board ruled that the store would have a "negative impact on the vitality and viability of Finglas village".
A year later Aldi was refused planning permission for a store and 104 apartments in five blocks from three to five storeys on an 0.81-hectare part of the same site on the grounds that the "extensive surface retail parking would result in a poor residential environment".
This time around residents of Glenhill Road, to the rear of the site, have appealed the decision to grant planning permission to An Bord Pleanála saying the height of apartment blocks will be "totally out of scale" with existing houses in the area and "dwarf" apartment blocks in nearby Premier Square.
They also raise concerns about increased traffic congestion in the area and the demands the inhabitants of the proposed apartments will place on an inadequate infrastructure, including drainage, water and social and recreational amenities.
In his appeal letter, a resident of Premier Square says the proposed development will have an overbearing impact on Block 7 of Premier Square, affecting its privacy and cause overshadowing. He contends there has been "no real assessment of the proposed impact that an additional 200 cars plus would have on the Finglas Road at this location", where a number of apartment developments have been built in recent years.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Dublin City Council granted permission for three apartment blocks from six to eight storeys last November but this has been appealed to An Bord Pleanála by two parties.
This is the latest twist in a long running planning saga and the third time the discount supermarket chain has sought permission on the large site on the Finglas Road in Dublin 11.
In 2004, both Dublin City Council and An Bord Pleanála refused permission for a single storey discount food store on a 0.77-hectare part of the site.
The board ruled that the store would have a "negative impact on the vitality and viability of Finglas village".
A year later Aldi was refused planning permission for a store and 104 apartments in five blocks from three to five storeys on an 0.81-hectare part of the same site on the grounds that the "extensive surface retail parking would result in a poor residential environment".
This time around residents of Glenhill Road, to the rear of the site, have appealed the decision to grant planning permission to An Bord Pleanála saying the height of apartment blocks will be "totally out of scale" with existing houses in the area and "dwarf" apartment blocks in nearby Premier Square.
They also raise concerns about increased traffic congestion in the area and the demands the inhabitants of the proposed apartments will place on an inadequate infrastructure, including drainage, water and social and recreational amenities.
In his appeal letter, a resident of Premier Square says the proposed development will have an overbearing impact on Block 7 of Premier Square, affecting its privacy and cause overshadowing. He contends there has been "no real assessment of the proposed impact that an additional 200 cars plus would have on the Finglas Road at this location", where a number of apartment developments have been built in recent years.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Council rejects David Arnold's extra units in Sandyford
Developer David Arnold has been refused planning permission to add 38 apartments to a previously permitted development of 262 residential units in Sandyford Industrial Estate, Dublin 18 because the local infrastructure is inadequate to cope with them.
The Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Co Council planner's report refers to the "excessive scale" of Arnold's development at the former Avid Technologies site at the junction of Carmanhall Road and Blackthorn Road.
It says this, together with the "likely cumulative effects of other permitted and potential developments" in the former industrial estate, would have "a detrimental impact on the existing deficiencies in roads and public transport infrastructure due to the likely demand on travel generated by the development."
As well as 262 residential units, the development includes 2,175sq m (23,411sq ft) of retail and commercial floor space at ground floor level and a 12-storey tower.
The additional apartments would have raised the height of four apartment blocks by a storey, bringing the tower to 13 storeys.
The site is at the heart of Sandyford Industrial Estate where over the next five years it is estimated that more than 400,000sq m (4.305 million sq ft) of office, retail and residential development is expected to come on stream.
To the north is the Microsoft complex and to the north-west a 13,500sq m (145,313sq ft) office block is under construction adjoining the Forum office complex at the former McCambridge's site.
The site is 400 metres from an emerging retail core at Beacon South Quarter where over 20,000sq m (215,278sq ft) of development is proposed.
Sandyford Action Group formed several months ago to protest against the draft urban framework plan which Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has proposed to guide future development in the former industrial estate.
The action group says the draft framework plan is a "completely inadequate document" on which to base the future planning of the area and it is calling for a local area plan. Saying development in Sandyford has been "piecemeal" to date, it also recommended substantial upgrading of the access routes into Sandyford, including a redesign of the Leopardstown interchange.
The move to create a framework plan came after An Bord Pleanála raised concerns about planning developments in the industrial estate.
The board wrote to the council about the impact that so many high density developments (proposed or approved for the area) would have on the estate.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
The Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Co Council planner's report refers to the "excessive scale" of Arnold's development at the former Avid Technologies site at the junction of Carmanhall Road and Blackthorn Road.
It says this, together with the "likely cumulative effects of other permitted and potential developments" in the former industrial estate, would have "a detrimental impact on the existing deficiencies in roads and public transport infrastructure due to the likely demand on travel generated by the development."
As well as 262 residential units, the development includes 2,175sq m (23,411sq ft) of retail and commercial floor space at ground floor level and a 12-storey tower.
The additional apartments would have raised the height of four apartment blocks by a storey, bringing the tower to 13 storeys.
The site is at the heart of Sandyford Industrial Estate where over the next five years it is estimated that more than 400,000sq m (4.305 million sq ft) of office, retail and residential development is expected to come on stream.
To the north is the Microsoft complex and to the north-west a 13,500sq m (145,313sq ft) office block is under construction adjoining the Forum office complex at the former McCambridge's site.
The site is 400 metres from an emerging retail core at Beacon South Quarter where over 20,000sq m (215,278sq ft) of development is proposed.
Sandyford Action Group formed several months ago to protest against the draft urban framework plan which Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has proposed to guide future development in the former industrial estate.
The action group says the draft framework plan is a "completely inadequate document" on which to base the future planning of the area and it is calling for a local area plan. Saying development in Sandyford has been "piecemeal" to date, it also recommended substantial upgrading of the access routes into Sandyford, including a redesign of the Leopardstown interchange.
The move to create a framework plan came after An Bord Pleanála raised concerns about planning developments in the industrial estate.
The board wrote to the council about the impact that so many high density developments (proposed or approved for the area) would have on the estate.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Council rejects David Arnold's extra units in Sandyford
Developer David Arnold has been refused planning permission to add 38 apartments to a previously permitted development of 262 residential units in Sandyford Industrial Estate, Dublin 18 because the local infrastructure is inadequate to cope with them.
The Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Co Council planner's report refers to the "excessive scale" of Arnold's development at the former Avid Technologies site at the junction of Carmanhall Road and Blackthorn Road.
It says this, together with the "likely cumulative effects of other permitted and potential developments" in the former industrial estate, would have "a detrimental impact on the existing deficiencies in roads and public transport infrastructure due to the likely demand on travel generated by the development."
As well as 262 residential units, the development includes 2,175sq m (23,411sq ft) of retail and commercial floor space at ground floor level and a 12-storey tower.
The additional apartments would have raised the height of four apartment blocks by a storey, bringing the tower to 13 storeys.
The site is at the heart of Sandyford Industrial Estate where over the next five years it is estimated that more than 400,000sq m (4.305 million sq ft) of office, retail and residential development is expected to come on stream.
To the north is the Microsoft complex and to the north-west a 13,500sq m (145,313sq ft) office block is under construction adjoining the Forum office complex at the former McCambridge's site.
The site is 400 metres from an emerging retail core at Beacon South Quarter where over 20,000sq m (215,278sq ft) of development is proposed.
Sandyford Action Group formed several months ago to protest against the draft urban framework plan which Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has proposed to guide future development in the former industrial estate.
The action group says the draft framework plan is a "completely inadequate document" on which to base the future planning of the area and it is calling for a local area plan. Saying development in Sandyford has been "piecemeal" to date, it also recommended substantial upgrading of the access routes into Sandyford, including a redesign of the Leopardstown interchange.
The move to create a framework plan came after An Bord Pleanála raised concerns about planning developments in the industrial estate.
The board wrote to the council about the impact that so many high density developments (proposed or approved for the area) would have on the estate.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
The Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Co Council planner's report refers to the "excessive scale" of Arnold's development at the former Avid Technologies site at the junction of Carmanhall Road and Blackthorn Road.
It says this, together with the "likely cumulative effects of other permitted and potential developments" in the former industrial estate, would have "a detrimental impact on the existing deficiencies in roads and public transport infrastructure due to the likely demand on travel generated by the development."
As well as 262 residential units, the development includes 2,175sq m (23,411sq ft) of retail and commercial floor space at ground floor level and a 12-storey tower.
The additional apartments would have raised the height of four apartment blocks by a storey, bringing the tower to 13 storeys.
The site is at the heart of Sandyford Industrial Estate where over the next five years it is estimated that more than 400,000sq m (4.305 million sq ft) of office, retail and residential development is expected to come on stream.
To the north is the Microsoft complex and to the north-west a 13,500sq m (145,313sq ft) office block is under construction adjoining the Forum office complex at the former McCambridge's site.
The site is 400 metres from an emerging retail core at Beacon South Quarter where over 20,000sq m (215,278sq ft) of development is proposed.
Sandyford Action Group formed several months ago to protest against the draft urban framework plan which Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has proposed to guide future development in the former industrial estate.
The action group says the draft framework plan is a "completely inadequate document" on which to base the future planning of the area and it is calling for a local area plan. Saying development in Sandyford has been "piecemeal" to date, it also recommended substantial upgrading of the access routes into Sandyford, including a redesign of the Leopardstown interchange.
The move to create a framework plan came after An Bord Pleanála raised concerns about planning developments in the industrial estate.
The board wrote to the council about the impact that so many high density developments (proposed or approved for the area) would have on the estate.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Extension for AIB's Bankcentre appealed
A couple living on Serpentine Avenue in Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 has appealed a planned extension of AIB's Bankcentre to An Bord Pleanála saying it represents "poor planning".
Dr Noel O'Connor and Mrs Elaine O'Connor, who live across the road from the Bankcentre, say the proposed extension of the centre to 88,000sq m (947,223sq ft) from its current size of 69,900sq m (752,400sq ft) would constitute overdevelopment of the site.
They say that the first extension of the Bankcentre - from 33,000sq m (355,210sq ft) to 69,900sq m (752,400sq ft) which was granted planning permission in 2004 - saw "virtually all green areas" built upon and they had to endure "three years of site clearance, excavation and construction.
"In some instances neighbours have sold and moved on."
They claim that "at no point since 2003 has the AIB management team responsible for this development crossed the road to respond to the daily impacts" of the development.
AIB sold most of the Bankcentre site for €378 million in 2004 to a consortium including Mountbrook Homes, Hibernian, AIB and the Serpentine Consortium.
The O'Connors are also concerned about the additional traffic that would be generated as a result of the proposed development which it is estimated would employ an extra 1,500 staff. The bank already has around 6,000 staff many of whom use the access point on Serpentine Avenue. They say the main entrance of the proposed extension is on the "narrowest part of Serpentine Avenue" and is less than 30 metres from the rail crossing,
Another issue is the scale of the development which they say is at variance with the tree-lined Victorian and Edwardian residential avenue.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Dr Noel O'Connor and Mrs Elaine O'Connor, who live across the road from the Bankcentre, say the proposed extension of the centre to 88,000sq m (947,223sq ft) from its current size of 69,900sq m (752,400sq ft) would constitute overdevelopment of the site.
They say that the first extension of the Bankcentre - from 33,000sq m (355,210sq ft) to 69,900sq m (752,400sq ft) which was granted planning permission in 2004 - saw "virtually all green areas" built upon and they had to endure "three years of site clearance, excavation and construction.
"In some instances neighbours have sold and moved on."
They claim that "at no point since 2003 has the AIB management team responsible for this development crossed the road to respond to the daily impacts" of the development.
AIB sold most of the Bankcentre site for €378 million in 2004 to a consortium including Mountbrook Homes, Hibernian, AIB and the Serpentine Consortium.
The O'Connors are also concerned about the additional traffic that would be generated as a result of the proposed development which it is estimated would employ an extra 1,500 staff. The bank already has around 6,000 staff many of whom use the access point on Serpentine Avenue. They say the main entrance of the proposed extension is on the "narrowest part of Serpentine Avenue" and is less than 30 metres from the rail crossing,
Another issue is the scale of the development which they say is at variance with the tree-lined Victorian and Edwardian residential avenue.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Wednesday, 16 January 2008
Consultants chosen for redevelopmentof 73-acre Grangegorman site
The WK Nowlan Consortium has been chosen as framework consultants for the proposed development of the 73-acre Grangegorman site in Dublin city.
The appointment has been made by the State-run Grangegorman Development Agency (GDA) which is to oversee the redevelopment of the site to accommodate all of the Dublin Institute of Technology colleges in one location and provide new primary and community health facilities for the Health Service Executive. There will also be new amenities for the local community.
The successful consortium consists of team leaders WK Nowlan & Associates, chartered surveyors and management consultants; Davis Langdon PKS, quantity surveyors; and Farrell Grant Sparks, business advisers and consultants.
The GDA recently selected architects/planners Moore Ruble Yudell from the US, in association with Irish firm DMOD, as the winners of the Grangegorman master plan design competition.
Preparation of the master plan for the site has just commenced with the aim of transforming it into a dynamic new city quarter to include the integration of education, health and other community facilities. The former Dublin city manager, John Fitzgerald, is chairman of the GDA while the chief executive is Gerry Murphy, who previously worked with the National Roads Authority. Peter Coyne, former chief executive of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority, is to lead the winning consortium after joining the WK Nowlan consulting team. Bill Nowlan, chairman of the company, said that the nature and growing complexity of urban development required the input of the most skilled professionals to ensure that projects were delivered on time, on budget and on quality.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
The appointment has been made by the State-run Grangegorman Development Agency (GDA) which is to oversee the redevelopment of the site to accommodate all of the Dublin Institute of Technology colleges in one location and provide new primary and community health facilities for the Health Service Executive. There will also be new amenities for the local community.
The successful consortium consists of team leaders WK Nowlan & Associates, chartered surveyors and management consultants; Davis Langdon PKS, quantity surveyors; and Farrell Grant Sparks, business advisers and consultants.
The GDA recently selected architects/planners Moore Ruble Yudell from the US, in association with Irish firm DMOD, as the winners of the Grangegorman master plan design competition.
Preparation of the master plan for the site has just commenced with the aim of transforming it into a dynamic new city quarter to include the integration of education, health and other community facilities. The former Dublin city manager, John Fitzgerald, is chairman of the GDA while the chief executive is Gerry Murphy, who previously worked with the National Roads Authority. Peter Coyne, former chief executive of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority, is to lead the winning consortium after joining the WK Nowlan consulting team. Bill Nowlan, chairman of the company, said that the nature and growing complexity of urban development required the input of the most skilled professionals to ensure that projects were delivered on time, on budget and on quality.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Shopping centre part of major Celbridge redevelopment
A large extension to Celbridge town centre - to include a shopping centre, offices and some 756 residential units - is planned for a key 98-acre riverside site, writes Jack Fagan.
A planning application for a shopping centre as part of a major extension to Celbridge town centre is to be lodged shortly with Kildare Co Council.
The 98-acre development to be linked by three bridges over the River Liffey to main street in Celbridge is to be carried out by Devondale Ltd, a company controlled by Brian M Durkan and his father, Tony. It will have a development value of over €750 million.
Designed by Project Architects and O'Mahony Pike, the scheme will include a new town centre with a large public plaza, multiplex cinema, gym and cultural facilities, as well as banking and ancillary services. Several restaurants, cafés and bars will overlook the River Liffey and there will be two separate residential schemes.
The shopping centre will extend to 22,000sq m (236,808sq ft) and include two anchor stores which are likely to appeal to multiples such as Dunnes Stores and Marks & Spencer. Tesco is already trading from a new store at the opposite end of the town. These multiples are well aware that Celbridge is one of the most prosperous towns in the greater Dublin area due mainly to the large number of prestigious companies nearby including Intel and Hewlett Packard.
A study carried out on behalf of the developers of the new town centre has shown that expenditure per household is on a par with affluent areas such as Foxrock and Dundrum.
Eoin Feeney of agent HWBC is handling enquiries about the new shopping facilities.
The Durkan company bought the Donaghcumper lands three years ago for €78 million and recently handed over 31 acres to Kildare County Council for a public park which will be largely located along the Liffey.
The new town centre will include a total of 648 new homes varying from one, two and three-bedroom apartments to three and four-bedroom townhouses. The second residential quarter, located some distance away to the east of the site, will have 108 large four and five-bedroom detached family homes. Many of them will stand on individual sites of over a quarter of an acre with separate garages.
To broaden the appeal of the new centre, the developers are to provide 20,000sq m (215,278sq ft) of commercial space in an office and business campus. These will include own-door office facilities and live-work units to cater for start-up businesses.
Celbridge has been suffering from traffic congestion and a shortage of parking. These problems will be addressed in the new development where the main bridge over the river will link the Maynooth road with the old Dublin road, leading to Hazelhatch train station.
The two other bridges will be for pedestrian use. It is also planned to provide more than 1,700 car-parking spaces on the new site to facilitate both the old and the new town areas.
Donaghcumper House, which continues to be occupied, will be the subject of a future planning application.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
A planning application for a shopping centre as part of a major extension to Celbridge town centre is to be lodged shortly with Kildare Co Council.
The 98-acre development to be linked by three bridges over the River Liffey to main street in Celbridge is to be carried out by Devondale Ltd, a company controlled by Brian M Durkan and his father, Tony. It will have a development value of over €750 million.
Designed by Project Architects and O'Mahony Pike, the scheme will include a new town centre with a large public plaza, multiplex cinema, gym and cultural facilities, as well as banking and ancillary services. Several restaurants, cafés and bars will overlook the River Liffey and there will be two separate residential schemes.
The shopping centre will extend to 22,000sq m (236,808sq ft) and include two anchor stores which are likely to appeal to multiples such as Dunnes Stores and Marks & Spencer. Tesco is already trading from a new store at the opposite end of the town. These multiples are well aware that Celbridge is one of the most prosperous towns in the greater Dublin area due mainly to the large number of prestigious companies nearby including Intel and Hewlett Packard.
A study carried out on behalf of the developers of the new town centre has shown that expenditure per household is on a par with affluent areas such as Foxrock and Dundrum.
Eoin Feeney of agent HWBC is handling enquiries about the new shopping facilities.
The Durkan company bought the Donaghcumper lands three years ago for €78 million and recently handed over 31 acres to Kildare County Council for a public park which will be largely located along the Liffey.
The new town centre will include a total of 648 new homes varying from one, two and three-bedroom apartments to three and four-bedroom townhouses. The second residential quarter, located some distance away to the east of the site, will have 108 large four and five-bedroom detached family homes. Many of them will stand on individual sites of over a quarter of an acre with separate garages.
To broaden the appeal of the new centre, the developers are to provide 20,000sq m (215,278sq ft) of commercial space in an office and business campus. These will include own-door office facilities and live-work units to cater for start-up businesses.
Celbridge has been suffering from traffic congestion and a shortage of parking. These problems will be addressed in the new development where the main bridge over the river will link the Maynooth road with the old Dublin road, leading to Hazelhatch train station.
The two other bridges will be for pedestrian use. It is also planned to provide more than 1,700 car-parking spaces on the new site to facilitate both the old and the new town areas.
Donaghcumper House, which continues to be occupied, will be the subject of a future planning application.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Huge rise in greenhouse gas from transport
Greenhouse gas emissions from road transport have almost tripled since 1990, the latest figures released by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) indicate.
The 2006 figures published by the EPA show that while there was a marginal decrease of 0.8 per cent in emissions for the year compared to 2005, the improvement masked another substantial increase in transport emissions.
Emissions in this sector were up 5.2 per cent (or almost 680,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent) in 2006. In the context of Kyoto, it means that road transport emissions have risen by 180 per cent since 1990. The rise is attributable to a massive increase in car ownership and a very strong preference among Irish motorists for bigger cars, including SUVs, in recent years.
"This is a worrying trend," conceded Minister for the Environment John Gormley. "It is one that will be addressed through, for example, the tax incentives that we are now providing for the purchase of lower emissions vehicles."
Mary Kelly, the director general of the EPA, also described the figures for transport as particularly worrying. "Major efforts will be required to halt and reverse this trend," she said.
Ireland's total emissions in 2006 of 69.77 million tonnes of carbon dioxide are 25.5 per cent above 1990 levels. The country is now 12 per cent above its Kyoto targets. Under the Kyoto Protocol, Ireland is allowed a 13 per cent increase on 1990 levels, which amounts to 62.84 million tonnes.
The slight overall decline was slightly misleading as a significant decrease in the energy sector (down 4.6 per cent or 750,000 tonnes CO2 equivalent) was mainly due to the Moneypoint power plant not being in use during long periods of 2006 because of plant improvements.
However, there was a downward trend of 1.4 per cent in agriculture. Nevertheless this sector remains the single biggest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in Ireland, contributing 28 per cent of the total.
Labour Party environment spokeswoman Joanna Tuffy said if the Government allowed our transport emissions to continue to rise at this rate all of the reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in other sectors would be wiped out.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
The 2006 figures published by the EPA show that while there was a marginal decrease of 0.8 per cent in emissions for the year compared to 2005, the improvement masked another substantial increase in transport emissions.
Emissions in this sector were up 5.2 per cent (or almost 680,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent) in 2006. In the context of Kyoto, it means that road transport emissions have risen by 180 per cent since 1990. The rise is attributable to a massive increase in car ownership and a very strong preference among Irish motorists for bigger cars, including SUVs, in recent years.
"This is a worrying trend," conceded Minister for the Environment John Gormley. "It is one that will be addressed through, for example, the tax incentives that we are now providing for the purchase of lower emissions vehicles."
Mary Kelly, the director general of the EPA, also described the figures for transport as particularly worrying. "Major efforts will be required to halt and reverse this trend," she said.
Ireland's total emissions in 2006 of 69.77 million tonnes of carbon dioxide are 25.5 per cent above 1990 levels. The country is now 12 per cent above its Kyoto targets. Under the Kyoto Protocol, Ireland is allowed a 13 per cent increase on 1990 levels, which amounts to 62.84 million tonnes.
The slight overall decline was slightly misleading as a significant decrease in the energy sector (down 4.6 per cent or 750,000 tonnes CO2 equivalent) was mainly due to the Moneypoint power plant not being in use during long periods of 2006 because of plant improvements.
However, there was a downward trend of 1.4 per cent in agriculture. Nevertheless this sector remains the single biggest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in Ireland, contributing 28 per cent of the total.
Labour Party environment spokeswoman Joanna Tuffy said if the Government allowed our transport emissions to continue to rise at this rate all of the reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in other sectors would be wiped out.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Joy for locals as green area saved from housing
A CHERISHED city green has been saved from development.
The decision by Cork City Council’s planning department to refuse outline planning permission — permission in principle — for four houses on Bishopscourt green in the western suburbs could have implications nationwide as public open spaces are targeted for development.
Planners ruled the location of the proposed development submitted by Ken Mahon was within an area designated as open space in the original planning application for Bishopscourt estate in 1965.
Two references to that permission — one recorded by the city council and one by the county council — were cited.
Planners also cited the provisions of Policy NHR 11 of the Cork City Development Plan which states there will be a presumption against development of public open spaces.
They said they considered the proposed project would contravene that policy and would seriously injure the amenities of the area and of property in the vicinity.
“The proposed development would, therefore, be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area,” said the ruling. It was not clear last night whether Mr Mahon will appeal the ruling to An Bord Pleanála.
Roisín O’Regan, secretary of the residents’ association, which mounted a huge campaign to save the green, welcomed the decision and said they were ready in the event of a possible appeal.
“We worked very hard to prepare our objections,” she said. “We had a very active and single-minded committee that gave a lot of energy and time to find out all we could to help us protect what we always believed was our own green.”
The 1.6 acre green in Bishopstown has been used as a public amenity for over four decades.
It became the focus of a major community campaign last summer when it was put up for sale as part of the sale of a house which stands on its corner.
Residents were shocked to learn that title to the green was included in the title to the house. The house and green were subsequently sold to Mr Mahon.
He applied late last year for outline planning permission to build four houses on the site — a project which would have resulted in the loss of almost half the site.
An unprecedented 95 submissions objecting to the project were received.
The planners’ decision was issued yesterday to Mr Mahon and to the 95 individuals who submitted observations.
The campaign to save Bishopscourt Green prompted city councillors to amend the city development plan just before Christmas to protect all open green spaces from development.
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
The decision by Cork City Council’s planning department to refuse outline planning permission — permission in principle — for four houses on Bishopscourt green in the western suburbs could have implications nationwide as public open spaces are targeted for development.
Planners ruled the location of the proposed development submitted by Ken Mahon was within an area designated as open space in the original planning application for Bishopscourt estate in 1965.
Two references to that permission — one recorded by the city council and one by the county council — were cited.
Planners also cited the provisions of Policy NHR 11 of the Cork City Development Plan which states there will be a presumption against development of public open spaces.
They said they considered the proposed project would contravene that policy and would seriously injure the amenities of the area and of property in the vicinity.
“The proposed development would, therefore, be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area,” said the ruling. It was not clear last night whether Mr Mahon will appeal the ruling to An Bord Pleanála.
Roisín O’Regan, secretary of the residents’ association, which mounted a huge campaign to save the green, welcomed the decision and said they were ready in the event of a possible appeal.
“We worked very hard to prepare our objections,” she said. “We had a very active and single-minded committee that gave a lot of energy and time to find out all we could to help us protect what we always believed was our own green.”
The 1.6 acre green in Bishopstown has been used as a public amenity for over four decades.
It became the focus of a major community campaign last summer when it was put up for sale as part of the sale of a house which stands on its corner.
Residents were shocked to learn that title to the green was included in the title to the house. The house and green were subsequently sold to Mr Mahon.
He applied late last year for outline planning permission to build four houses on the site — a project which would have resulted in the loss of almost half the site.
An unprecedented 95 submissions objecting to the project were received.
The planners’ decision was issued yesterday to Mr Mahon and to the 95 individuals who submitted observations.
The campaign to save Bishopscourt Green prompted city councillors to amend the city development plan just before Christmas to protect all open green spaces from development.
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
Ocean-based electricity returns are ‘guaranteed’
COMPANIES that produce ocean-generated electricity will get guaranteed returns under a government plan to boost the use of renewable energy.
Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Eamon Ryan yesterday unveiled a three-year €26m package to boost ocean energy production.
One element of the plan is a set price for wave energy which the Government says is “over and above” what producers would receive in the marketplace.
Companies will be able to charge up to €220 per megawatt hour of wave energy they provide to the licensed electricity suppliers, who in turn distribute power to homes and businesses. The goal is to encourage more production of wave energy.
Another element of the plan is the provision of €1m towards a state-of-the-art “national ocean energy facility” in University College Cork. The facility will be able to develop and test ocean energy devices.
€2m is being provided to develop a wave energy test site near Belmullet in Co Mayo. Another €2m will be provided in grants this year to developers of ocean energy devices to help them make those devices commercial.
Approximately €500,000 will be provided to establish an “ocean energy development unit” as part of the Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) agency.
Launching the package at the Maritime College in Cork yesterday, Mr Ryan said it was his intention that Ireland become “a world leader” in renewable energy.
“We have unparalleled ocean resources in Ireland. The aim behind this R&D funding is to enable Ireland to win the race of developing a full-scale, commercially viable ocean energy device for generating electricity,” he added.
“This programme supports research, applied research and grants for commercialisation. The feed-in-tariff price offers a guaranteed return to producers for electricity they produce from ocean energy. The ocean energy development unit in SEI will have a central role in overseeing this programme. This is an integrated system offering support from the initial stages right through to sale.”
Fine Gael welcomed the package, the party’s energy spokesman Simon Coveney stressing the potential of ocean energy.
Irish Examiner
www.buckpalnning.ie
Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Eamon Ryan yesterday unveiled a three-year €26m package to boost ocean energy production.
One element of the plan is a set price for wave energy which the Government says is “over and above” what producers would receive in the marketplace.
Companies will be able to charge up to €220 per megawatt hour of wave energy they provide to the licensed electricity suppliers, who in turn distribute power to homes and businesses. The goal is to encourage more production of wave energy.
Another element of the plan is the provision of €1m towards a state-of-the-art “national ocean energy facility” in University College Cork. The facility will be able to develop and test ocean energy devices.
€2m is being provided to develop a wave energy test site near Belmullet in Co Mayo. Another €2m will be provided in grants this year to developers of ocean energy devices to help them make those devices commercial.
Approximately €500,000 will be provided to establish an “ocean energy development unit” as part of the Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) agency.
Launching the package at the Maritime College in Cork yesterday, Mr Ryan said it was his intention that Ireland become “a world leader” in renewable energy.
“We have unparalleled ocean resources in Ireland. The aim behind this R&D funding is to enable Ireland to win the race of developing a full-scale, commercially viable ocean energy device for generating electricity,” he added.
“This programme supports research, applied research and grants for commercialisation. The feed-in-tariff price offers a guaranteed return to producers for electricity they produce from ocean energy. The ocean energy development unit in SEI will have a central role in overseeing this programme. This is an integrated system offering support from the initial stages right through to sale.”
Fine Gael welcomed the package, the party’s energy spokesman Simon Coveney stressing the potential of ocean energy.
Irish Examiner
www.buckpalnning.ie
EU to demand big cuts in CO2 emissions
IRELAND will be asked to make huge cuts in its CO2 emissions and to vastly increase the amount of energy from renewables in the EU’s climate change plan to be published next week.
The country has one of the worst records for cutting greenhouse gas emissions and figures out today for 2006 show a 25.5% increase on 1990 levels compared to its 13% target.
But with EU plans to link a country’s GDP to cuts in harmful emissions and increased use of fossil fuel replacements, Ireland could find itself with some of the most difficult targets to meet in the EU as its GDP is second highest, at more than 40% above the EU average.
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
Environment commissioner Stavros Dimas said they believed the poorer countries should be allowed higher emissions, as they need to grow their industry.
But to balance this, countries with higher GDPs should carry a greater share of the burden.
Referring to Germany, he said that with a 10% higher than average GDP it would have to make a slightly disproportionately higher contribution.
“The more wealth there is, the more emissions must decline,” he said in a German magazine interview. His fellow commissioner responsible for energy, Andris Piebalgs, is planning to apply the same principle to targets for renewables to be met by 2020.
He will say that every country must increase its usage of renewables by 5.75% over the 2005 rate, and increase this by an additional percentage depending on GDP.
The average of this amount will be 5.75%, but Ireland, with the second highest GDP in the union, will have to meet an increase of more than 11.5%.
This will be a substantial challenge as it is one of the lowest users of renewable energy at just 3.1% compared to Latvia with 34.9%.
Negotiations on the final plans for each member state are still under way, with several countries applying maximum pressure to the European Commission to change their demands before the papers are published next Wednesday.
Some of the main sticking points are around the targets for renewables, with countries like Sweden, with 40% of its energy needs from renewables, pointing out that to increase this by more than 11% will be particularly difficult for them.
On the other hand Spain, France and Britain are demanding the targets be lowered as they fear it will affect their economies. France wants credit for its huge nuclear energy programme, which emits few greenhouse gases, while Germany and Spain fear plans to trade renewable energy may encourage too much selling of green energy across borders.
The country has one of the worst records for cutting greenhouse gas emissions and figures out today for 2006 show a 25.5% increase on 1990 levels compared to its 13% target.
But with EU plans to link a country’s GDP to cuts in harmful emissions and increased use of fossil fuel replacements, Ireland could find itself with some of the most difficult targets to meet in the EU as its GDP is second highest, at more than 40% above the EU average.
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
Environment commissioner Stavros Dimas said they believed the poorer countries should be allowed higher emissions, as they need to grow their industry.
But to balance this, countries with higher GDPs should carry a greater share of the burden.
Referring to Germany, he said that with a 10% higher than average GDP it would have to make a slightly disproportionately higher contribution.
“The more wealth there is, the more emissions must decline,” he said in a German magazine interview. His fellow commissioner responsible for energy, Andris Piebalgs, is planning to apply the same principle to targets for renewables to be met by 2020.
He will say that every country must increase its usage of renewables by 5.75% over the 2005 rate, and increase this by an additional percentage depending on GDP.
The average of this amount will be 5.75%, but Ireland, with the second highest GDP in the union, will have to meet an increase of more than 11.5%.
This will be a substantial challenge as it is one of the lowest users of renewable energy at just 3.1% compared to Latvia with 34.9%.
Negotiations on the final plans for each member state are still under way, with several countries applying maximum pressure to the European Commission to change their demands before the papers are published next Wednesday.
Some of the main sticking points are around the targets for renewables, with countries like Sweden, with 40% of its energy needs from renewables, pointing out that to increase this by more than 11% will be particularly difficult for them.
On the other hand Spain, France and Britain are demanding the targets be lowered as they fear it will affect their economies. France wants credit for its huge nuclear energy programme, which emits few greenhouse gases, while Germany and Spain fear plans to trade renewable energy may encourage too much selling of green energy across borders.
Ireland set to fail in greenhouse emissions obligations
IRELAND is on course to renege on its greenhouse gas obligations under the Kyoto Protocol, according to emissions figures released yesterday.
While our greenhouse gas emissions fell by 0.8% in 2006, we are still producing almost seven million tonnes more than our Kyoto Treaty limit.
Data released yesterday by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revealed that greenhouse gas emissions were 570,000 tonnes lower in 2006 than 2005, with decreases in the amount of gas released by agriculture and energy generation.
However, our total emissions of 69.77 million tonnes are now 25.5% above 1990 levels. Under the Kyoto Protocol, Ireland is only allowed a 13% increase.
EPA director-general Dr Mary Kelly said yesterday: “While the figures are encouraging, and the reduction of 0.8% is most welcome, the remaining distance to our Kyoto target is substantial and shows that we continue to face a major challenge. Reducing emissions in a growing economy will require a major effort on all our parts.”
Transport emissions were up by 5.2% in 2006, an increase of almost 680,000 tonnes. This trend was described as “particularly worrying” by Dr Kelly.
Transport emissions are now 165% higher than in 1990 and make up almost 20% of our greenhouse gas output. Road transport accounts for 97% of this figure, reflecting a trend towards purchasing larger vehicles, an increased reliance on private cars and more road freight transport.
Emissions from power generation were down by 4.6% in 2006, but this was partly because of a plant shut-down at Moneypoint in Co Clare while improvements were under way.
Commenting on whether Ireland can reach its Kyoto target by 2012, Dr Kelly said that the target will be met by “a combination of domestic actions with some purchase of carbon credits” as allowed under the Kyoto protocol.
“Today’s figures show that the Government’s target of 3% annual reductions in emissions over the next five years will be extremely challenging and further emphasises that actions to reduce domestic emissions must be intensified and strengthened,” she said.
“Greenhouse gases emitted now will remain in the atmosphere for many decades and affect the climate for centuries to come. Policy makers must use the detailed breakdown of figures in each sector, provided today, to focus on all areas where reductions are possible and need to be achieved.”
In the post-Kyoto period to 2020, reductions of 20%-30% on 1990 emissions are being proposed to avoid “irreversible and damaging climate change”.
Europe is attempting to limit the inevitable global temperature increase to 2C above pre-industrial times.
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
While our greenhouse gas emissions fell by 0.8% in 2006, we are still producing almost seven million tonnes more than our Kyoto Treaty limit.
Data released yesterday by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revealed that greenhouse gas emissions were 570,000 tonnes lower in 2006 than 2005, with decreases in the amount of gas released by agriculture and energy generation.
However, our total emissions of 69.77 million tonnes are now 25.5% above 1990 levels. Under the Kyoto Protocol, Ireland is only allowed a 13% increase.
EPA director-general Dr Mary Kelly said yesterday: “While the figures are encouraging, and the reduction of 0.8% is most welcome, the remaining distance to our Kyoto target is substantial and shows that we continue to face a major challenge. Reducing emissions in a growing economy will require a major effort on all our parts.”
Transport emissions were up by 5.2% in 2006, an increase of almost 680,000 tonnes. This trend was described as “particularly worrying” by Dr Kelly.
Transport emissions are now 165% higher than in 1990 and make up almost 20% of our greenhouse gas output. Road transport accounts for 97% of this figure, reflecting a trend towards purchasing larger vehicles, an increased reliance on private cars and more road freight transport.
Emissions from power generation were down by 4.6% in 2006, but this was partly because of a plant shut-down at Moneypoint in Co Clare while improvements were under way.
Commenting on whether Ireland can reach its Kyoto target by 2012, Dr Kelly said that the target will be met by “a combination of domestic actions with some purchase of carbon credits” as allowed under the Kyoto protocol.
“Today’s figures show that the Government’s target of 3% annual reductions in emissions over the next five years will be extremely challenging and further emphasises that actions to reduce domestic emissions must be intensified and strengthened,” she said.
“Greenhouse gases emitted now will remain in the atmosphere for many decades and affect the climate for centuries to come. Policy makers must use the detailed breakdown of figures in each sector, provided today, to focus on all areas where reductions are possible and need to be achieved.”
In the post-Kyoto period to 2020, reductions of 20%-30% on 1990 emissions are being proposed to avoid “irreversible and damaging climate change”.
Europe is attempting to limit the inevitable global temperature increase to 2C above pre-industrial times.
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
Ambitious plan to revitalise Liffey
An €18 million plan to revitalise the river Liffey has been proposed to Dublin City Council.
The plans will see a 120 meter long pontoon, designed to replicate a street, built between Millennium Bridge and the Halfpenny Bridge on Dublin's Ormond Quay.
This floating street will have a restaurant and bar on it and will also be the meeting point for a new river cruise and taxi service.
As part of the ambitious plan by Irish Ship and Barge Fabrication Company, they have identified four sunken old Guinness barges which they intend resurfacing and then refurbishing in Holland.
If the plans are given the go ahead, these 80 foot long barges, refurbished with glass undersides, could be seen on the river as early as mid 2009. These will enable travellers to take a cruise from Heuston Station to the docks at the mouth of the Liffey.
Colin Bartley
www.buckplanning.ie
The plans will see a 120 meter long pontoon, designed to replicate a street, built between Millennium Bridge and the Halfpenny Bridge on Dublin's Ormond Quay.
This floating street will have a restaurant and bar on it and will also be the meeting point for a new river cruise and taxi service.
As part of the ambitious plan by Irish Ship and Barge Fabrication Company, they have identified four sunken old Guinness barges which they intend resurfacing and then refurbishing in Holland.
If the plans are given the go ahead, these 80 foot long barges, refurbished with glass undersides, could be seen on the river as early as mid 2009. These will enable travellers to take a cruise from Heuston Station to the docks at the mouth of the Liffey.
Colin Bartley
www.buckplanning.ie
Tuesday, 15 January 2008
Return of barges to Liffey planned
An €8 million plan to raise and restore four sunken Guinness barges from the ocean so they can once more ply the Liffey is at the heart of an ambitious plan to carry tourists from Heuston Station to Dublin Bay.
A planning application has been lodged with Dublin City Council to reintroduce the barges, which carried barrels down the river from Guinness's James's Gate brewery between the 1880s and the late 1960s.
The 80-foot long barges are currently deep beneath the ocean off the coast of Northern Ireland, where they were scuttled after a second life as sand transports.
The refitted, glass-canopied barges would operate two- and four-hour cruises, while a separate fleet of ferries would collect and drop off passengers at 12 points along the river, including Smithfield, Tara Street, the Point, Grand Canal Dock and the planned U2 Experience in the Docklands.
The heart of the scheme is a purpose-built pontoon at Ormond Quay between the Ha'penny and Millennium bridges, says Sam Field Corbett, the project manager with the firm behind the scheme, Irish Ship and Barge Fabrication Company.
The 120-metre "floating street" would be cobbled and sit about one metre off the Liffey boardwalk, said Mr Field Corbett. Visitors would be able to walk a few inches from the surface of the river, as the pontoon would move with the tide, he said. They could brave the elements and sit at outdoor tables on the pontoon, and order coffee from two Guinness barges refitted as a floating cafe and restaurant.
The Irish Times
www.buckplannng.ie
A planning application has been lodged with Dublin City Council to reintroduce the barges, which carried barrels down the river from Guinness's James's Gate brewery between the 1880s and the late 1960s.
The 80-foot long barges are currently deep beneath the ocean off the coast of Northern Ireland, where they were scuttled after a second life as sand transports.
The refitted, glass-canopied barges would operate two- and four-hour cruises, while a separate fleet of ferries would collect and drop off passengers at 12 points along the river, including Smithfield, Tara Street, the Point, Grand Canal Dock and the planned U2 Experience in the Docklands.
The heart of the scheme is a purpose-built pontoon at Ormond Quay between the Ha'penny and Millennium bridges, says Sam Field Corbett, the project manager with the firm behind the scheme, Irish Ship and Barge Fabrication Company.
The 120-metre "floating street" would be cobbled and sit about one metre off the Liffey boardwalk, said Mr Field Corbett. Visitors would be able to walk a few inches from the surface of the river, as the pontoon would move with the tide, he said. They could brave the elements and sit at outdoor tables on the pontoon, and order coffee from two Guinness barges refitted as a floating cafe and restaurant.
The Irish Times
www.buckplannng.ie
Resident to oppose plans to raze estate
A HOME owner who has vowed to oppose plans by Limerick’s regeneration board to bulldoze Moyross, says he wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.
Businessman Tommy Daly, whose family also have three privately-owned houses in the sprawling estate, claimed their property rights are being infringed.
He revealed there has been no consultation with the authorities who plan to flatten 1,200 houses in Moyross.
The multi-phase demolition scheme will also target Southill and Ballinacurra Weston in a €700 million project which envisages the creation of two new towns.
But Mr Daly warned people who own their homes in the huge Moyross estate cannot be trampled on.
He was one of the first council tenants to move into Moyross nearly 23 years ago but, 10 years ago, bought out from Limerick City Council his home at 60, Delmege Park.
He further acquired three other houses at 57, 58 and 75 Delmege Park for his sons.
Mr Daly said: “I and my sons don’t want to live anywhere else. We own our own properties and this regeneration agency is going around announcing that all houses, including the homes we own, will be demolished without as much as a word with me or my sons.
“We have rights and we have invested a lot of money to improve our homes. We are not going to be treated like tenants of the council.”
As home owners, he said, they have the same rights as any other property owners in the land.
Mr Daly insisted: “If an organisation came in and told the owners of homes in another part of the city that their properties were being levelled without further warning, there would be a public outcry. I and my sons own our homes in Moyross and we have the same rights as any other home owner and we won’t be talked down to.”
Since purchasing his own home, he had invested in excess of €150,000 in huge improvements.
Mr Daly said he values his house at around €300,000.
He said: “If they want me to move, they can’t give me just any house and will have to give me a house of he same value. I am a very patient man but there’s only so much you can take.”
Mr Daly said he and his sons will insist on replacement properties which reflect the value of their current homes.
He or his family will not consider moving out of their homes to make way for the proposed wide scale demolition until agreed properties are ready for them.
Mr Daly said: “Like any other private home owners, we will have to be compensated if we have to move from where we have lived since Moyross was first built. But that is for another day.
“Most of the people here are council tenants and are being dictated to because they don’t own their own homes.
“We are not going to be dictated to by this regeneration board and I’ll go to Europe if needs be to uphold my rights as a private property owner. Within reason, I am not a man to hold up progress for the community. But I was one of the first in here and bought my home and also homes for my three sons.”
President Mary McAleese will unveil the vision documents for the regeneration of Moyross, Southill and Ballinacurra Weston in Limerick next Monday.
The regeneration board’s document outlines how more than 2,500 houses in Southill, Moyross and Ballinacurra Weston, all built by Limerick City Council will be razed to the ground and replaced by two new towns.
Brendan Kenny, chief executive of the agency, said yesterday: “In relation to individual householders, we will be engaging intensely with those people in the coming months and everybody will get a brand new home — as good if not better than what they have.”
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
Businessman Tommy Daly, whose family also have three privately-owned houses in the sprawling estate, claimed their property rights are being infringed.
He revealed there has been no consultation with the authorities who plan to flatten 1,200 houses in Moyross.
The multi-phase demolition scheme will also target Southill and Ballinacurra Weston in a €700 million project which envisages the creation of two new towns.
But Mr Daly warned people who own their homes in the huge Moyross estate cannot be trampled on.
He was one of the first council tenants to move into Moyross nearly 23 years ago but, 10 years ago, bought out from Limerick City Council his home at 60, Delmege Park.
He further acquired three other houses at 57, 58 and 75 Delmege Park for his sons.
Mr Daly said: “I and my sons don’t want to live anywhere else. We own our own properties and this regeneration agency is going around announcing that all houses, including the homes we own, will be demolished without as much as a word with me or my sons.
“We have rights and we have invested a lot of money to improve our homes. We are not going to be treated like tenants of the council.”
As home owners, he said, they have the same rights as any other property owners in the land.
Mr Daly insisted: “If an organisation came in and told the owners of homes in another part of the city that their properties were being levelled without further warning, there would be a public outcry. I and my sons own our homes in Moyross and we have the same rights as any other home owner and we won’t be talked down to.”
Since purchasing his own home, he had invested in excess of €150,000 in huge improvements.
Mr Daly said he values his house at around €300,000.
He said: “If they want me to move, they can’t give me just any house and will have to give me a house of he same value. I am a very patient man but there’s only so much you can take.”
Mr Daly said he and his sons will insist on replacement properties which reflect the value of their current homes.
He or his family will not consider moving out of their homes to make way for the proposed wide scale demolition until agreed properties are ready for them.
Mr Daly said: “Like any other private home owners, we will have to be compensated if we have to move from where we have lived since Moyross was first built. But that is for another day.
“Most of the people here are council tenants and are being dictated to because they don’t own their own homes.
“We are not going to be dictated to by this regeneration board and I’ll go to Europe if needs be to uphold my rights as a private property owner. Within reason, I am not a man to hold up progress for the community. But I was one of the first in here and bought my home and also homes for my three sons.”
President Mary McAleese will unveil the vision documents for the regeneration of Moyross, Southill and Ballinacurra Weston in Limerick next Monday.
The regeneration board’s document outlines how more than 2,500 houses in Southill, Moyross and Ballinacurra Weston, all built by Limerick City Council will be razed to the ground and replaced by two new towns.
Brendan Kenny, chief executive of the agency, said yesterday: “In relation to individual householders, we will be engaging intensely with those people in the coming months and everybody will get a brand new home — as good if not better than what they have.”
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
Dublin Airport terminal’s €55m expansion gets go-ahead
DUBLIN AIRPORT is to get busier after An Bord Pleanála granted permission for the main passenger terminal to be expanded.
The €55 million, two-storey 7,500sq m extension, which was opposed by Ryanair, will provide additional arrivals and departures facilities, extra check-in desks and new bars, restaurants and shops.
All the facilities will be raised on concrete columns so that ground handlers will be able to continue operating beneath the building without loss of working space. Construction work is to begin next month, with the first new facilities due to be open to passengers early next year and the full extension scheduled to be completed by summer 2009.
Between the extension and the new second terminal that is under construction, the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) said it was planning to be able to cater for a growth in passenger numbers up to 35 million annually.
More than 21 million passengers used the airport last year and there are complaints of overcrowding and delays at peak times.
DAA chief executive Declan Collier said: “This extension will radically improve the travel experience for the bulk of our short-haul passengers.”
Among the conditions imposed by An Bord Pleanála is that no more than 32 million passengers pass through the new facilities when completed and that the DAA make a financial contribution to the cost of the Metro underground rail scheme planned to connect the airport with Dublin city centre.
The amount of the contribution has been left with the DAA and Railway Procurement Agency to agree between themselves but in the event they fail to reach a figure, An Bord Pleanála will determine the sum.
The DAA said the extension will be funded from the renting of the additional retail units and will not require increased to airport charges, which are invariably passed on to passengers.
The extension received planning permission from Fingal County Council last April but was appealed to An Bord Pleanála by residents from the Portmarnock Community Association, environmentalist Angela Lawton and Ryanair.
Ryanair said that the extension consisted largely of retail outlets and would not provide sufficient extra check-in and handling facilities to alleviate the pressure on the existing terminal.
This is the second blow to Ryanair’s attempts to influence developments at Dublin Airport in recent days. It also failed to halt the construction of Terminal 2 after the High Court last Friday ruled in favour of the DAA’s claim that the airline’s challenge was unlawful. Building work on the €400m terminal is scheduled to be finished in 2010.
Fine Gael’s transport spokesman Fergus O’Dowd said it was time to start planning for further expansion.
“Passenger numbers at Dublin Airport consistently outstrip predicted demand and this extra space is vital to alleviate overcrowding. However, by the time Terminal 2 is open for business it will fill predicted capacity, so there is a need to start work on the necessary processes for Terminal 3,” he said.
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
The €55 million, two-storey 7,500sq m extension, which was opposed by Ryanair, will provide additional arrivals and departures facilities, extra check-in desks and new bars, restaurants and shops.
All the facilities will be raised on concrete columns so that ground handlers will be able to continue operating beneath the building without loss of working space. Construction work is to begin next month, with the first new facilities due to be open to passengers early next year and the full extension scheduled to be completed by summer 2009.
Between the extension and the new second terminal that is under construction, the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) said it was planning to be able to cater for a growth in passenger numbers up to 35 million annually.
More than 21 million passengers used the airport last year and there are complaints of overcrowding and delays at peak times.
DAA chief executive Declan Collier said: “This extension will radically improve the travel experience for the bulk of our short-haul passengers.”
Among the conditions imposed by An Bord Pleanála is that no more than 32 million passengers pass through the new facilities when completed and that the DAA make a financial contribution to the cost of the Metro underground rail scheme planned to connect the airport with Dublin city centre.
The amount of the contribution has been left with the DAA and Railway Procurement Agency to agree between themselves but in the event they fail to reach a figure, An Bord Pleanála will determine the sum.
The DAA said the extension will be funded from the renting of the additional retail units and will not require increased to airport charges, which are invariably passed on to passengers.
The extension received planning permission from Fingal County Council last April but was appealed to An Bord Pleanála by residents from the Portmarnock Community Association, environmentalist Angela Lawton and Ryanair.
Ryanair said that the extension consisted largely of retail outlets and would not provide sufficient extra check-in and handling facilities to alleviate the pressure on the existing terminal.
This is the second blow to Ryanair’s attempts to influence developments at Dublin Airport in recent days. It also failed to halt the construction of Terminal 2 after the High Court last Friday ruled in favour of the DAA’s claim that the airline’s challenge was unlawful. Building work on the €400m terminal is scheduled to be finished in 2010.
Fine Gael’s transport spokesman Fergus O’Dowd said it was time to start planning for further expansion.
“Passenger numbers at Dublin Airport consistently outstrip predicted demand and this extra space is vital to alleviate overcrowding. However, by the time Terminal 2 is open for business it will fill predicted capacity, so there is a need to start work on the necessary processes for Terminal 3,” he said.
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
Irish greenhouse gas emissions down slightly in 2006
Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions fell by almost 1% in 2006, according to the latest figures from the Environmental Protection Agency.
The EPA says the figure equates to a reduction of almost 600,000 tonnes.
However, Irish emissions would have actually increased if it wasn't for the fact that the Moneypoint power station was not in use at the time due to improvement works.
A breakdown of the figures show that farm emissions were down 1.4% during 2006, but transport emissions were up by 5.2%.
Total emissions for the year were just under 70 million tonnes, which is 25.5% above 1990 levels.
Under the Kyoto treaty, Ireland will face financial penalties if emissions are not reduced to 13% above 1990 levels within the next four years.
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
The EPA says the figure equates to a reduction of almost 600,000 tonnes.
However, Irish emissions would have actually increased if it wasn't for the fact that the Moneypoint power station was not in use at the time due to improvement works.
A breakdown of the figures show that farm emissions were down 1.4% during 2006, but transport emissions were up by 5.2%.
Total emissions for the year were just under 70 million tonnes, which is 25.5% above 1990 levels.
Under the Kyoto treaty, Ireland will face financial penalties if emissions are not reduced to 13% above 1990 levels within the next four years.
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Terminal extension is cleared for take-off
FED-UP passengers stuck in long slow-moving queues at Dublin Airport are promised more check-in desks after a major expansion of the existing outdated terminal was cleared for take-off.
An Bord Pleanala yesterday gave the green light for a 7,500sq m extension to the terminal in the face of objections from Ryanair and a local resident's association.
The plan involves a 20pc increase in the number of check-in desks in a bid to tackle the growing bottleneck in the departures lounge.
The planning authority also put a limit of 32 million passengers a year using the expanded Terminal 1 and the approved second terminal.
The extension to Terminal 1 was granted planning permission by Fingal County Council last April, but appealed by Ryanair and the Portmarnock Community Association.
In its ruling yesterday, An Bord Pleanala said it took into account the National Development Plan, the National Spatial Strategy and the Government's Transport 21 blueprint, all three of which prioritise public transport and the roads which serve Dublin Airport.
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
An Bord Pleanala yesterday gave the green light for a 7,500sq m extension to the terminal in the face of objections from Ryanair and a local resident's association.
The plan involves a 20pc increase in the number of check-in desks in a bid to tackle the growing bottleneck in the departures lounge.
The planning authority also put a limit of 32 million passengers a year using the expanded Terminal 1 and the approved second terminal.
The extension to Terminal 1 was granted planning permission by Fingal County Council last April, but appealed by Ryanair and the Portmarnock Community Association.
In its ruling yesterday, An Bord Pleanala said it took into account the National Development Plan, the National Spatial Strategy and the Government's Transport 21 blueprint, all three of which prioritise public transport and the roads which serve Dublin Airport.
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Flooding prompts fast-track of relief measures
FLOOD relief plans are set to be fast-tracked in some of Ireland's most vulnerable river valleys, but heavy rain is expected to swamp more areas in the coming days.
The Department of Environment, the Office of Public Works and the Department of Finance are to examine ways of accelerating flood projects as Ireland's clean-up bill for the nationwide series of floods last week continues to spiral.
In Cork alone, the clean-up and damages bills for the floods are put at an estimated €10m, and that is unlikely to be the final bill as a storm may yet sweep across the country later this week.
"The weather will stay in a very unsettled mode, there's no sign of a let-up really," a Met Eireann forecaster said yesterday. "The southern half of England I expect to be flooded out tomorrow morning but the very worst of that will probably pass the south of Ireland.
"Unfortunately, some will hit hard tonight in south Munster and south Leinster, and these are the areas worst affected from recent rains and things could get worse there.
Blustery showers are predicted for today and tomorrow, but during Thursday and Friday the weather is set to get even worse.
"It could turn stormy in places across the country," the forecaster said. "Rain is likely to be very widespread and it could exacerbate the existing flooding."
Progress
Junior Finance Minister Noel Ahern, who is responsible for the OPW, has admitted that accelerated progress now needs to be achieved with flood plans.
Mr Ahern dismissed opposition party claims that under-funding has been responsible for the painfully slow progress to date.
In north Cork, a flood relief plan for the Blackwater valley was unveiled in 2005 but only partial works have been undertaken in Mallow to date.
None of these works were able to prevent the flooding which last week left parts of the town under 10ft of water.
The full flood relief programme is not expected to be completed for two years.
In Fermoy, no work has been undertaken to date.
Environment Minister John Gormley acknowledged that flood relief plans need to be accelerated. Mr Gormley stressed that while Mr Ahern will co-ordinate the OPW flood relief plans, his department will focus on ways of expediting various flood reports and studies.
Jason O'Brien and Ralph Reigel
www.buckplanning.ie
The Department of Environment, the Office of Public Works and the Department of Finance are to examine ways of accelerating flood projects as Ireland's clean-up bill for the nationwide series of floods last week continues to spiral.
In Cork alone, the clean-up and damages bills for the floods are put at an estimated €10m, and that is unlikely to be the final bill as a storm may yet sweep across the country later this week.
"The weather will stay in a very unsettled mode, there's no sign of a let-up really," a Met Eireann forecaster said yesterday. "The southern half of England I expect to be flooded out tomorrow morning but the very worst of that will probably pass the south of Ireland.
"Unfortunately, some will hit hard tonight in south Munster and south Leinster, and these are the areas worst affected from recent rains and things could get worse there.
Blustery showers are predicted for today and tomorrow, but during Thursday and Friday the weather is set to get even worse.
"It could turn stormy in places across the country," the forecaster said. "Rain is likely to be very widespread and it could exacerbate the existing flooding."
Progress
Junior Finance Minister Noel Ahern, who is responsible for the OPW, has admitted that accelerated progress now needs to be achieved with flood plans.
Mr Ahern dismissed opposition party claims that under-funding has been responsible for the painfully slow progress to date.
In north Cork, a flood relief plan for the Blackwater valley was unveiled in 2005 but only partial works have been undertaken in Mallow to date.
None of these works were able to prevent the flooding which last week left parts of the town under 10ft of water.
The full flood relief programme is not expected to be completed for two years.
In Fermoy, no work has been undertaken to date.
Environment Minister John Gormley acknowledged that flood relief plans need to be accelerated. Mr Gormley stressed that while Mr Ahern will co-ordinate the OPW flood relief plans, his department will focus on ways of expediting various flood reports and studies.
Jason O'Brien and Ralph Reigel
www.buckplanning.ie
Monday, 14 January 2008
Gormley fast-tracks climate change and flooding plan
THE Government is fast-tracking plans to cope with climate change and flooding, the Environment Minister said yesterday.
John Gormley said the State's plans, as required under the Kyoto Protocol, will be ready within a year - a year earlier than required.
Mr Gormley was speaking in Cork as the multi-million euro mop-up continued in Mallow and Fermoy after Thursday night's devastating floods.
"Climate change is not a thing of the future, it is happening," he said.
nter a summary
"A consequence of that is an increase in the incidence of flooding. My own area of Ringsend is particularly prone to flooding and I am aware of the difficulties faced by residents in flood-prone zones."
He stopped short of criticising the Office of Public Works for its implementation of flood protection measures in towns like Mallow, Fermoy and Clonmel.
"What I want to do in my capacity as Minister for the Environment is to speed up our adaptation plans under the terms of Kyoto," he said.
"They will deal directly with flooding and other issues.
"Those plans are expected within two years but I'm accelerating that. I want to get them within a year."
A major study of the flood risk and management measures within the Lee catchment area is almost complete.
Consultants Halcrow are due to publish the flood risk management plan within a few months.
The study was prompted by devastating floods which occurred in the city and county in October 2004.
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
John Gormley said the State's plans, as required under the Kyoto Protocol, will be ready within a year - a year earlier than required.
Mr Gormley was speaking in Cork as the multi-million euro mop-up continued in Mallow and Fermoy after Thursday night's devastating floods.
"Climate change is not a thing of the future, it is happening," he said.
nter a summary
"A consequence of that is an increase in the incidence of flooding. My own area of Ringsend is particularly prone to flooding and I am aware of the difficulties faced by residents in flood-prone zones."
He stopped short of criticising the Office of Public Works for its implementation of flood protection measures in towns like Mallow, Fermoy and Clonmel.
"What I want to do in my capacity as Minister for the Environment is to speed up our adaptation plans under the terms of Kyoto," he said.
"They will deal directly with flooding and other issues.
"Those plans are expected within two years but I'm accelerating that. I want to get them within a year."
A major study of the flood risk and management measures within the Lee catchment area is almost complete.
Consultants Halcrow are due to publish the flood risk management plan within a few months.
The study was prompted by devastating floods which occurred in the city and county in October 2004.
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
Experts warn on minister's gas plan
GREEN energy minister Eamon Ryan looks set to increase Ireland's reliance on dwindling global gas supplies massively if he adopts plans unveiled last week to generate 42% of the state's electricity from renewable sources.
The Sunday Tribune has also learned that the All-Island Grid Study, which contains the proposals, also significantly underestimates the cost to consumers of the plan.
The study envisages the construction of at least 2,500 megawatts (MW) of new gasfired power stations by 2020 to act as a back-up to 5,000MW of new wind projects.
The report claims the operating costs of these stations will be almost EUR250m a year, which will be recovered from consumers by means of higher bills.
These figures, however, are based on British gas prices of around 48p per therm - the unit in which gas is traded - whereas current gas prices stand at 54p per therm. The figures also forecast that the long-term price of carbon credits will remain at EUR30 per tonne, though many analysts, such as Swiss investment bank ÜBS, believe they will hit EUR40 a tonne within five years.
A spokesman for the department admitted that the costs used by the study were set in 2005 but said they were made using the best available information at the time.
"The rises in fossil fuel prices only emphasise the importance of moving to a greater reliance on renewables because, as the minister has said, the wind blows for free," he said.
But Colin Campbell, chairman of the Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas (ASPO), said the outdated figures called the entire plan into question, particularly as the price of gas would rise in future as it becomes more scarce. "The price assumptions are clearly wrong. British gas prices are going through the roof at the moment and will stay high."
Ken Griffin
Sunday Tribune
The Sunday Tribune has also learned that the All-Island Grid Study, which contains the proposals, also significantly underestimates the cost to consumers of the plan.
The study envisages the construction of at least 2,500 megawatts (MW) of new gasfired power stations by 2020 to act as a back-up to 5,000MW of new wind projects.
The report claims the operating costs of these stations will be almost EUR250m a year, which will be recovered from consumers by means of higher bills.
These figures, however, are based on British gas prices of around 48p per therm - the unit in which gas is traded - whereas current gas prices stand at 54p per therm. The figures also forecast that the long-term price of carbon credits will remain at EUR30 per tonne, though many analysts, such as Swiss investment bank ÜBS, believe they will hit EUR40 a tonne within five years.
A spokesman for the department admitted that the costs used by the study were set in 2005 but said they were made using the best available information at the time.
"The rises in fossil fuel prices only emphasise the importance of moving to a greater reliance on renewables because, as the minister has said, the wind blows for free," he said.
But Colin Campbell, chairman of the Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas (ASPO), said the outdated figures called the entire plan into question, particularly as the price of gas would rise in future as it becomes more scarce. "The price assumptions are clearly wrong. British gas prices are going through the roof at the moment and will stay high."
Ken Griffin
Sunday Tribune
Motorway is top of the noise league
THE M5O has been singled out as the worst noise polluter in Ireland, exposing nearby residents to an incessant din of traffic as loud as a twin-engine jet at takeoff.
The first "noise map" of Ireland estimates that traffic, especially on the M5O, causes the biggest racket. More than 23,000 Dublin residents live in the highest band of noise as a result of traffic. Dublin airport and the rail lines around the capital barely register a squeak.
The map, was drawn by Ireland's Environmental Protection Agency as part of the European Noise Directive that requires all countries to chart "unwanted or harmful outdoor sound" created by human activity.
Dublin was the only city to be mapped because it is large enough to meet the threshold, which requires measurement of urban areas with a population exceeding 250,000.
A sound level greater than 75 decibels (db) was recorded from the M5O. Researchers say that 70db is the equivalent of a passenger car travelling at 60 km/h and that 81db is akin to a twin-engine jet at take-off.
The map is a computer simulation based on data taken over one year regarding traffic volumes, frequency of public transport, population densities, the height of buildings, quality of road surface and other information supplied by councils and transport companies. No noise sensors were used to compile the map, but councils are now installing them to verify the data.
Key junctions such as the Red Cow roundabout and relatively small roads in Malahide, Donnybrook and along the Liffey quays are in the loudest noise category.
Tom Stafford, a senior scientific officer at the agency, said: "Because the map is based on annual data, and because there would probably be little activity at the airport or on rail at night this means almost all the noise is from major roads."
The population's exposure to noise is measured in Ldens, a logarithm based on decibels which gives a level based on combined day, evening and night readings. Night-time noise attracts a higher "annoyance score" than sounds occurring at day or evening time.
Most of Dublin's population of 1.2m people live in areas that have a sound level below the "noisy" 70 Ldens score. More than 141,000 people, however, live in areas that are exposed to more than 70 Ldens and 23,600 of them are in areas that experience the highest noise category recorded - greater than 75 Ldens.
Anthony Staines, an epidemiologist at Dublin City University said excessive noise was bad for human health. "It leads to hypertension, high blood pressure and affects childrens' learning ability," he said. "Sleep disturbance can also lead to daytime sleepiness resulting in accidents. Testing for noise pollution should form a much larger part of environmental impact statements, particularly when it comes to roads and airports."
Derek Keating, an independent councillor with South Dublin county council, said residents' complaints about the M50's noise pollution had been ignored. "Locals objected to the widening of the road but it went through anyway. Since heavy goods vehicles were removed from the city centre, it has gotten even worse," he said.
Margaret Errity, a psychiatric nurse who lives beside the M5O in the Woodfarm estate in Palmerstown, said she can no longer sleep with her windows open. "My house is the width of two lanes of traffic in distance from the motorway and the noise is constant. At night when it's less busy, the cars just speed up," she said.
After submitting the noise map to the European Commission, the local authorities must now formulate action plans, in consultation with the agency, to reduce the number of people affected by high noise levels.
The low noise levels from air and rail travel is likely to prompt councils to promote these modes of public transport over the use of cars.
Brian McManus, the head of Dublin city council's traffic, noise and air quality division, said the detail on the map would also enable the councils to plan better traffic management.
Ciaran Cuffe, a Green TD, hopes the government will reintroduce a noise pollution bill this year. "I want to see a one stop shop where people can go to complain about noise," he said.
Mark Tighe and Colin Coyle
Sunday Times
The first "noise map" of Ireland estimates that traffic, especially on the M5O, causes the biggest racket. More than 23,000 Dublin residents live in the highest band of noise as a result of traffic. Dublin airport and the rail lines around the capital barely register a squeak.
The map, was drawn by Ireland's Environmental Protection Agency as part of the European Noise Directive that requires all countries to chart "unwanted or harmful outdoor sound" created by human activity.
Dublin was the only city to be mapped because it is large enough to meet the threshold, which requires measurement of urban areas with a population exceeding 250,000.
A sound level greater than 75 decibels (db) was recorded from the M5O. Researchers say that 70db is the equivalent of a passenger car travelling at 60 km/h and that 81db is akin to a twin-engine jet at take-off.
The map is a computer simulation based on data taken over one year regarding traffic volumes, frequency of public transport, population densities, the height of buildings, quality of road surface and other information supplied by councils and transport companies. No noise sensors were used to compile the map, but councils are now installing them to verify the data.
Key junctions such as the Red Cow roundabout and relatively small roads in Malahide, Donnybrook and along the Liffey quays are in the loudest noise category.
Tom Stafford, a senior scientific officer at the agency, said: "Because the map is based on annual data, and because there would probably be little activity at the airport or on rail at night this means almost all the noise is from major roads."
The population's exposure to noise is measured in Ldens, a logarithm based on decibels which gives a level based on combined day, evening and night readings. Night-time noise attracts a higher "annoyance score" than sounds occurring at day or evening time.
Most of Dublin's population of 1.2m people live in areas that have a sound level below the "noisy" 70 Ldens score. More than 141,000 people, however, live in areas that are exposed to more than 70 Ldens and 23,600 of them are in areas that experience the highest noise category recorded - greater than 75 Ldens.
Anthony Staines, an epidemiologist at Dublin City University said excessive noise was bad for human health. "It leads to hypertension, high blood pressure and affects childrens' learning ability," he said. "Sleep disturbance can also lead to daytime sleepiness resulting in accidents. Testing for noise pollution should form a much larger part of environmental impact statements, particularly when it comes to roads and airports."
Derek Keating, an independent councillor with South Dublin county council, said residents' complaints about the M50's noise pollution had been ignored. "Locals objected to the widening of the road but it went through anyway. Since heavy goods vehicles were removed from the city centre, it has gotten even worse," he said.
Margaret Errity, a psychiatric nurse who lives beside the M5O in the Woodfarm estate in Palmerstown, said she can no longer sleep with her windows open. "My house is the width of two lanes of traffic in distance from the motorway and the noise is constant. At night when it's less busy, the cars just speed up," she said.
After submitting the noise map to the European Commission, the local authorities must now formulate action plans, in consultation with the agency, to reduce the number of people affected by high noise levels.
The low noise levels from air and rail travel is likely to prompt councils to promote these modes of public transport over the use of cars.
Brian McManus, the head of Dublin city council's traffic, noise and air quality division, said the detail on the map would also enable the councils to plan better traffic management.
Ciaran Cuffe, a Green TD, hopes the government will reintroduce a noise pollution bill this year. "I want to see a one stop shop where people can go to complain about noise," he said.
Mark Tighe and Colin Coyle
Sunday Times
Decision day for Dublin airport extension plan
The Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) will learn today if it has secured planning permission to build a 7,500sq m (80,729sq ft) extension to its existing terminal at Dublin airport.
The extension was granted planning permission by Fingal County Council last April, but was appealed to An Bord Pleanála by Ryanair and the Portmarnock Community Association.
The extension, which is a separate development to the construction of the second terminal known as T2, is designed to cope with the growth in passenger numbers from Pier A and the recently opened Pier D. To be built in the northwestern corner of the terminal, it will provide additional space for passengers, check-in desks, and retail and restaurant space.
The details of the appeals against the project will not be released until the decision is published. However, it is understood that Ryanair has objected that the DAA is making planning applications in a haphazard way and without consulting airlines in relation to their operational needs. The airline also believes that the extension should not be used for retail and restaurant facilities, but for the expansion of airline operational facilities only.
The plans submitted to the council are for a two-storey triangular-shaped building with an intermediate mezzanine floor.
The extension will sit on a number of concrete columns above ground level so that the apron area below the building can be retained for use by ground handlers and other aviation-related services.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
The extension was granted planning permission by Fingal County Council last April, but was appealed to An Bord Pleanála by Ryanair and the Portmarnock Community Association.
The extension, which is a separate development to the construction of the second terminal known as T2, is designed to cope with the growth in passenger numbers from Pier A and the recently opened Pier D. To be built in the northwestern corner of the terminal, it will provide additional space for passengers, check-in desks, and retail and restaurant space.
The details of the appeals against the project will not be released until the decision is published. However, it is understood that Ryanair has objected that the DAA is making planning applications in a haphazard way and without consulting airlines in relation to their operational needs. The airline also believes that the extension should not be used for retail and restaurant facilities, but for the expansion of airline operational facilities only.
The plans submitted to the council are for a two-storey triangular-shaped building with an intermediate mezzanine floor.
The extension will sit on a number of concrete columns above ground level so that the apron area below the building can be retained for use by ground handlers and other aviation-related services.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Integrated ticketing costs soar to €50m
The Department of Transport has defended the estimated €50 million cost and the timeframe of the delay-plagued integrated ticketing scheme for public transport, blaming complex technical issues.
A departmental note generated ahead of integrated ticketing being discussed by the Dáil's Public Accounts Committee later this month, refers to the complicated systems required to provide a single smart card for rail, bus and Luas journeys with private and public transport companies.
The decision to include the free travel scheme for pensioners and people with disabilities has also contributed to the increased cost and to delays on a project that it not now expected to be finished until 2013.
According to the note: "One of the reasons why it has taken this long . . . is that it was decided to include a link-up on the ticket to the free travel pass [so the integrated ticket software has to be made compatible with the software in the Department of Social and Family Affairs].
"Initially, there was no provision for this link-up."
Integrated ticketing has been beset by delays, controversy and cost overruns since it was first announced by then minister for public enterprise Mary O'Rourke in November 2000.
The Rail Procurement Agency was given responsibility for the €29.6 million project with a completion date set for 2005. However by mid-2005, the agency abandoned the procurement process, prompting separate inquiries by the Department of Transport and comptroller and auditor general John Purcell.
Following criticism by Mr Purcell of project management, lack of progress and substantial wasted expenditure, a new project board was established in 2006.
It promised that the system would be rolled out in the greater Dublin area by September 2009, with nationwide roll-out compete by 2013. It also projected that €20 million more was needed to complete the project.
Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey made this project a key priority when he came into office last summer, according to his office. Central to his strategy has been to set up the Dublin Transport Authority (DTA) which will have overall responsibility for the project. Legislation is expected next month.
Sources in Mr Dempsey's department said similar systems in Hong Kong and Singapore cost €100 million and €150 million.
Senator Paschal Donohoe of Fine Gael said: "No political will exists to decide competing requests from different semi-State organisations. This is the reason the DTA still does not exist. Not setting the business rules at the start has completely undermined the project."
PAC chairman Bernard Allen said the committee would seek assurances that there would be no further overruns or delays.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
A departmental note generated ahead of integrated ticketing being discussed by the Dáil's Public Accounts Committee later this month, refers to the complicated systems required to provide a single smart card for rail, bus and Luas journeys with private and public transport companies.
The decision to include the free travel scheme for pensioners and people with disabilities has also contributed to the increased cost and to delays on a project that it not now expected to be finished until 2013.
According to the note: "One of the reasons why it has taken this long . . . is that it was decided to include a link-up on the ticket to the free travel pass [so the integrated ticket software has to be made compatible with the software in the Department of Social and Family Affairs].
"Initially, there was no provision for this link-up."
Integrated ticketing has been beset by delays, controversy and cost overruns since it was first announced by then minister for public enterprise Mary O'Rourke in November 2000.
The Rail Procurement Agency was given responsibility for the €29.6 million project with a completion date set for 2005. However by mid-2005, the agency abandoned the procurement process, prompting separate inquiries by the Department of Transport and comptroller and auditor general John Purcell.
Following criticism by Mr Purcell of project management, lack of progress and substantial wasted expenditure, a new project board was established in 2006.
It promised that the system would be rolled out in the greater Dublin area by September 2009, with nationwide roll-out compete by 2013. It also projected that €20 million more was needed to complete the project.
Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey made this project a key priority when he came into office last summer, according to his office. Central to his strategy has been to set up the Dublin Transport Authority (DTA) which will have overall responsibility for the project. Legislation is expected next month.
Sources in Mr Dempsey's department said similar systems in Hong Kong and Singapore cost €100 million and €150 million.
Senator Paschal Donohoe of Fine Gael said: "No political will exists to decide competing requests from different semi-State organisations. This is the reason the DTA still does not exist. Not setting the business rules at the start has completely undermined the project."
PAC chairman Bernard Allen said the committee would seek assurances that there would be no further overruns or delays.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Saturday, 12 January 2008
Red Cow misery set to continue as 'spaghetti junction' comes on stream
LIKE the traffic trying to get through it, progress on upgrading the country's most infamous roundabout remains painfully slow.
The spaghetti junction-style layout for the Red Cow, as shown in this picture, will come into operation tomorrow, but South Dublin County Council has described it as "an incremental change" rather than the end that frustrated motorists are hoping for.
And project manager John McLoughlin won't have helped motorists' moods when he claimed that speeding drivers - rather than the complicated layout -- were at fault if people got lost trying to negotiate their way around what is effectively a building site.
"We're now entering two-thirds of the way into a two-year programme," Mr McLoughlin said yesterday of the work to change the system from a traffic light junction to a free-flow junction. "The Red Cow will be complete by the end of August."
But the 100,000-plus motorists that currently crawl through the roundabout every day were advised not to set their expectations too high for the final re-configured layout.
"I think it would be a very brave man to predict that we're going to see an end to traffic jams at the Red Cow any time soon, even when the roadworks are finally complete, and that's not too far away, maybe six months," Conor Faughnan, public affairs manager with AA Ireland, said yesterday.
The first phase of the M50 project -- which includes the Red Cow, an upgraded Lucan interchange and a third lane between the two -- is on schedule to be completed by the end of August, according to the council.
Motorists travelling on both the N7 and the M50 towards the Red Cow have increasingly complained about the complicated layout and the lack of information signs in place to help them negotiate the massive building site in recent months.
Reports
There have even been a number of reports of people getting lost or ending up travelling in the wrong direction after struggling to get into the correct lane.
John McLoughlin, chief engineer on the project, yesterday apologised for the inconvenience but maintained that many motorists were themselves to blame as the 60kmh speed limit is not being observed.
"It's turning from a traffic light junction to a free-flow junction and if people don't watch the lanes that they are on they will end up going in the wrong direction," Mr McLoughlin maintained.
The latest layout will make little difference for drivers travelling from the N7 or the M50. Traffic from Monastery Road to the city, however, will now be able to use a free-flow bridge link, meaning it won't have to stop at lights at Monastery Lane.
But, being the Red Cow, even this is not without difficulties. "One minor complication is that the route to the M50 north, the new slip road is not yet open," Mr McLoughlin said.
"To come off Monastery Road and go north they will have to go down (the M50 south) as far as Ballymount. That is a detour that is longer than we'd like them to do but it means that we can move the traffic moving."
While work on upgrading the M50 between Ballymount and the N4 to three lanes in both directions is due to be finished in March, work on the Red Cow will continue into the summer as the Luas line is diverted to ensure trams will no longer stop traffic.
When it is completed, work will then move onto the next section of the M50 upgrade, between the N4 and the Dublin airport interchange. That will continue until 2010.
Jason O'Brien
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
The spaghetti junction-style layout for the Red Cow, as shown in this picture, will come into operation tomorrow, but South Dublin County Council has described it as "an incremental change" rather than the end that frustrated motorists are hoping for.
And project manager John McLoughlin won't have helped motorists' moods when he claimed that speeding drivers - rather than the complicated layout -- were at fault if people got lost trying to negotiate their way around what is effectively a building site.
"We're now entering two-thirds of the way into a two-year programme," Mr McLoughlin said yesterday of the work to change the system from a traffic light junction to a free-flow junction. "The Red Cow will be complete by the end of August."
But the 100,000-plus motorists that currently crawl through the roundabout every day were advised not to set their expectations too high for the final re-configured layout.
"I think it would be a very brave man to predict that we're going to see an end to traffic jams at the Red Cow any time soon, even when the roadworks are finally complete, and that's not too far away, maybe six months," Conor Faughnan, public affairs manager with AA Ireland, said yesterday.
The first phase of the M50 project -- which includes the Red Cow, an upgraded Lucan interchange and a third lane between the two -- is on schedule to be completed by the end of August, according to the council.
Motorists travelling on both the N7 and the M50 towards the Red Cow have increasingly complained about the complicated layout and the lack of information signs in place to help them negotiate the massive building site in recent months.
Reports
There have even been a number of reports of people getting lost or ending up travelling in the wrong direction after struggling to get into the correct lane.
John McLoughlin, chief engineer on the project, yesterday apologised for the inconvenience but maintained that many motorists were themselves to blame as the 60kmh speed limit is not being observed.
"It's turning from a traffic light junction to a free-flow junction and if people don't watch the lanes that they are on they will end up going in the wrong direction," Mr McLoughlin maintained.
The latest layout will make little difference for drivers travelling from the N7 or the M50. Traffic from Monastery Road to the city, however, will now be able to use a free-flow bridge link, meaning it won't have to stop at lights at Monastery Lane.
But, being the Red Cow, even this is not without difficulties. "One minor complication is that the route to the M50 north, the new slip road is not yet open," Mr McLoughlin said.
"To come off Monastery Road and go north they will have to go down (the M50 south) as far as Ballymount. That is a detour that is longer than we'd like them to do but it means that we can move the traffic moving."
While work on upgrading the M50 between Ballymount and the N4 to three lanes in both directions is due to be finished in March, work on the Red Cow will continue into the summer as the Luas line is diverted to ensure trams will no longer stop traffic.
When it is completed, work will then move onto the next section of the M50 upgrade, between the N4 and the Dublin airport interchange. That will continue until 2010.
Jason O'Brien
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Flooding must be a wake-up call, says Gormley
FLOODS and storm damage must serve as an urgent wake-up call to Ireland that adaptation is required if we are to cope with the worsening impact of global climate change.
Environment Minister John Gormley warned last night that national flood relief programmes must be fast tracked if Ireland is to ensure that vital national infrastructure is able to cope with the escalating impact of climate change.
A massive clean-up operation began in Fermoy yesterday as residents, insurers and local authorities faced into a damages bill which could run to tens of millions.
Mr Gormley warned that, if climate change predictions are correct, Ireland may have to cope with much more severe storms and flooding in the coming years.
"This is very important because I think people have to realise that climate change is not something that is going to happen in the future -- climate change is now. It is happening right now," he said.
But the opposition said that serious flooding, hitting Mallow and Fermoy worst, could have been minimised if flood defence programmes had been speeded up.
Mr Gormley said that recent floods are indications that our weather pattern is changing -- and Ireland must adapt its crucial infrastructure to cope.
He said the clock is now ticking on how Ireland prepares for severe changes in climate.
"We have to do this as quickly as possible and I know this from my own area because I live in Ringsend which is also subject to flooding. We have to accelerate that," he said.
Mr Gormley stressed that while national flood relief programmes are a matter for the Office of Public Works (OPW), he wants to see environmental and engineering assessment reports accelerated.
But the serious flooding has prompted complaints from the opposition about a three-year delay in getting flood prevention schemes in place.
Scepticism
Labour Cork East TD Sean Sherlock said the €30m plan for Mallow was only partly completed and was missing its most important elements -- defensive flood barriers and demountable walls to protect the town from flooding from the River Blackwater.
"A scheme that was initially mooting as taking five years to complete is not even at the halfway mark and it's now three years later. We're waiting for the next tranches of funding for it now."
He also expressed scepticism about the announcement that long-awaited flood relief scheme for Fermoy, first announced in 2005, would go ahead.
Back in 2004, Clonmel suffered from serious flooding and there were calls for a €30m flood prevention scheme to be put in place.
Among those highlighting the problem was Fianna Fail's Martin Mansergh, who told the Seanad that it was a "serious and high priority".
Yesterday Mr Mansergh, now a TD for Tipperary South, said he was disappointed at the delay in the scheme, which only began construction last September.
Homes in Mallow and Fermoy were left under almost 15cm of stinking sludge after the River Blackwater floods receded -- while Cork Co Council, Eircom and the ESB began a detailed assessment of the extent of the damage caused both to infrastructure and utilities.
A number of businesses lost valuable stock -- and several confirmed that they were unable to secure flood insurance cover over recent years because of the risk posed by the River Blackwater.
One premises has now been flooded six times in the past 11 years.
In some homes, water levels approached 50 cm.
Ralph Riegel Michael Brennan
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Environment Minister John Gormley warned last night that national flood relief programmes must be fast tracked if Ireland is to ensure that vital national infrastructure is able to cope with the escalating impact of climate change.
A massive clean-up operation began in Fermoy yesterday as residents, insurers and local authorities faced into a damages bill which could run to tens of millions.
Mr Gormley warned that, if climate change predictions are correct, Ireland may have to cope with much more severe storms and flooding in the coming years.
"This is very important because I think people have to realise that climate change is not something that is going to happen in the future -- climate change is now. It is happening right now," he said.
But the opposition said that serious flooding, hitting Mallow and Fermoy worst, could have been minimised if flood defence programmes had been speeded up.
Mr Gormley said that recent floods are indications that our weather pattern is changing -- and Ireland must adapt its crucial infrastructure to cope.
He said the clock is now ticking on how Ireland prepares for severe changes in climate.
"We have to do this as quickly as possible and I know this from my own area because I live in Ringsend which is also subject to flooding. We have to accelerate that," he said.
Mr Gormley stressed that while national flood relief programmes are a matter for the Office of Public Works (OPW), he wants to see environmental and engineering assessment reports accelerated.
But the serious flooding has prompted complaints from the opposition about a three-year delay in getting flood prevention schemes in place.
Scepticism
Labour Cork East TD Sean Sherlock said the €30m plan for Mallow was only partly completed and was missing its most important elements -- defensive flood barriers and demountable walls to protect the town from flooding from the River Blackwater.
"A scheme that was initially mooting as taking five years to complete is not even at the halfway mark and it's now three years later. We're waiting for the next tranches of funding for it now."
He also expressed scepticism about the announcement that long-awaited flood relief scheme for Fermoy, first announced in 2005, would go ahead.
Back in 2004, Clonmel suffered from serious flooding and there were calls for a €30m flood prevention scheme to be put in place.
Among those highlighting the problem was Fianna Fail's Martin Mansergh, who told the Seanad that it was a "serious and high priority".
Yesterday Mr Mansergh, now a TD for Tipperary South, said he was disappointed at the delay in the scheme, which only began construction last September.
Homes in Mallow and Fermoy were left under almost 15cm of stinking sludge after the River Blackwater floods receded -- while Cork Co Council, Eircom and the ESB began a detailed assessment of the extent of the damage caused both to infrastructure and utilities.
A number of businesses lost valuable stock -- and several confirmed that they were unable to secure flood insurance cover over recent years because of the risk posed by the River Blackwater.
One premises has now been flooded six times in the past 11 years.
In some homes, water levels approached 50 cm.
Ralph Riegel Michael Brennan
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Council rejects large centre planned for Balbriggan
Millbank Developments has been refused planning permission by Fingal County Council to build a mixed-use urban development on a site of 2.2 acres beside Mill Walk in Balbriggan, Co Dublin.
The proposal was for a 26,778sq m (288,236sq ft) building ranging from three to 10 storeys with 41 retail units arranged around an internal mall on a lower and upper ground floor level with a conical roof over an atrium.
This would have included offices and a medical centre spread over three floors and 49 residential units. The realignment and upgrading of the River Bracken and the provision of a new riverside walkway are also part of the proposal.
The local authority gave eight reasons for refusing the application, including that by reason of its scale, height and form "as a single mammoth building does not integrate with the existing urban pattern and is inappropriate for this location in the centre of this historic town".
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
The proposal was for a 26,778sq m (288,236sq ft) building ranging from three to 10 storeys with 41 retail units arranged around an internal mall on a lower and upper ground floor level with a conical roof over an atrium.
This would have included offices and a medical centre spread over three floors and 49 residential units. The realignment and upgrading of the River Bracken and the provision of a new riverside walkway are also part of the proposal.
The local authority gave eight reasons for refusing the application, including that by reason of its scale, height and form "as a single mammoth building does not integrate with the existing urban pattern and is inappropriate for this location in the centre of this historic town".
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Greystones shopping centre plan
Greystones shopping centre plan appealed by rival developers A bid by developers Seán Dunne and Seán Mulryan to build a district shopping centre, offices, 260 residential units, a primary school and Garda station at Charlesland in Greystones, Co Wicklow has been challenged by Pizarro Development Ltd the company behind a rival €2 billion Bray town centre.
Pizarro is one of three parties to appeal a decision to grant permission for the development which includes a shopping centre comparable in size to Liffey Valley. Pizarro is a consortium made up of developer Paddy Kelly and his family; Alanis, controlled by the McCormack family; the Flynn family; Durkan New Homes; Pierse Construction; and the Newlyn Group.
Another appellant is the local Super Valu in Greystones which says the proposal for an out-of-town regional shopping centre would "decimate the existing town centre of Greystones" and have a detrimental effect on Kilcoole, Newtownmountkennedy and, because of its scale, Bray, Wicklow and Arklow.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Pizarro is one of three parties to appeal a decision to grant permission for the development which includes a shopping centre comparable in size to Liffey Valley. Pizarro is a consortium made up of developer Paddy Kelly and his family; Alanis, controlled by the McCormack family; the Flynn family; Durkan New Homes; Pierse Construction; and the Newlyn Group.
Another appellant is the local Super Valu in Greystones which says the proposal for an out-of-town regional shopping centre would "decimate the existing town centre of Greystones" and have a detrimental effect on Kilcoole, Newtownmountkennedy and, because of its scale, Bray, Wicklow and Arklow.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Moyglare Stud and biotech firm appeal permission for Kilcock quarry
A research company based in Dunboyne, Co Meath which is proposing a high-tech science and business park says it will be "forced to review this expansion" if a limestone rock quarry gets the go-ahead at Kilcock, Co Meath.
Dr Pearse Lyons, owner and president of Alltech Biotechnology Centre, has appealed to An Bord Pleanála on foot of planning permission granted to Kilsaran Concrete for the quarry at Mulhussey in Kilcock.
Dr Lyons says the centre employs 80 people and is in the planning stages with a high-tech life science and business park "whose focus is on natural agricultural science and research". "Air and land quality is of extreme importance to us," he adds.
He says the quarry would have a negative impact "on how we would perceive our current and future investment in the area". Dr Lyons is one of 17 parties to appeal the proposal. Other appellants include Moyglare Stud, Finsceal Stud, Dollanstown Stud and Mulhussey Residents Group.
A previous proposal by Kilsaran Concrete to locate a quarry at the site was rejected by An Bord Pleanála in 2006.
Stan Cosgrove, the manager of Moyglare Stud, has also threatened to relocate if the quarry goes ahead saying it could constitute a serious risk to the health of their "world renowned thoroughbred business".
Cosgrove says Moyglare Stud Farm has always been in third or fourth position in the world on the breeder/owner tables and, in order to have this degree of success on the world stage, it is essential to have "a safe, secure, tranquil and peaceful environment".
He says dust from the quarry may have an adverse effect on the respiratory tract of young foals and "result in impairment of speed potential in later life".
He says noise from heavy goods vehicles could not be tolerated by pregnant mares or racehorses, who by nature are "very highly strung animals".
Cosgrove would give "serious consideration" to relocation outside Ireland should the development be granted planning permission.
Mulhussey Residents Group says the principle of a quarry at the proposed location has already been "deemed unacceptable" by An Bord Pleanála and "the issues arising from the previous decision of An Bord Pleanála have not been overcome in this application".
It says the road network is substandard and increased traffic movements would endanger public safety while the quarry would be "incompatible" with the continued use of Mulhussey National school which is less than 400 metres away.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Dr Pearse Lyons, owner and president of Alltech Biotechnology Centre, has appealed to An Bord Pleanála on foot of planning permission granted to Kilsaran Concrete for the quarry at Mulhussey in Kilcock.
Dr Lyons says the centre employs 80 people and is in the planning stages with a high-tech life science and business park "whose focus is on natural agricultural science and research". "Air and land quality is of extreme importance to us," he adds.
He says the quarry would have a negative impact "on how we would perceive our current and future investment in the area". Dr Lyons is one of 17 parties to appeal the proposal. Other appellants include Moyglare Stud, Finsceal Stud, Dollanstown Stud and Mulhussey Residents Group.
A previous proposal by Kilsaran Concrete to locate a quarry at the site was rejected by An Bord Pleanála in 2006.
Stan Cosgrove, the manager of Moyglare Stud, has also threatened to relocate if the quarry goes ahead saying it could constitute a serious risk to the health of their "world renowned thoroughbred business".
Cosgrove says Moyglare Stud Farm has always been in third or fourth position in the world on the breeder/owner tables and, in order to have this degree of success on the world stage, it is essential to have "a safe, secure, tranquil and peaceful environment".
He says dust from the quarry may have an adverse effect on the respiratory tract of young foals and "result in impairment of speed potential in later life".
He says noise from heavy goods vehicles could not be tolerated by pregnant mares or racehorses, who by nature are "very highly strung animals".
Cosgrove would give "serious consideration" to relocation outside Ireland should the development be granted planning permission.
Mulhussey Residents Group says the principle of a quarry at the proposed location has already been "deemed unacceptable" by An Bord Pleanála and "the issues arising from the previous decision of An Bord Pleanála have not been overcome in this application".
It says the road network is substandard and increased traffic movements would endanger public safety while the quarry would be "incompatible" with the continued use of Mulhussey National school which is less than 400 metres away.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Bord says yes to apartment plan for D3 house
Redcourt House - the Victorian property in Clontarf, Dublin 3 where the burned remains of a man were found after a fire last summer - is to be converted into apartments as part of a new homes development.
An Bord Pleanála has granted developer Mark Piggott planning permission to turn the late 19th century house on Seafield Road East, which was extensively damaged in the blaze, into four apartments.
A five-storey apartment block with 33 apartments and nine townhouses will also be part of the development.
The property was the home of the Hardy family for several generations and was sold to developer Mark Piggott in 2004 for €7.5 million, €3.3 million more than the guide price.
Redcourt House hit the headlines in August when a 38-year-old man (believed to have been in the house before the fire broke out) presented himself at Raheny Garda station as the fire was still raging.
The fire was brought under control by five units of the fire brigade and the remains of a man were found.
The house on 1.65 acres has been at the centre of a protracted planning dispute in recent years.
An original proposal to demolish the house and build 54 apartments was rejected by both Dublin City Council and An Bord Pleanála.
Although the developer succeeded in stopping the house being listed as a protected structure, An Bord Pleanála said it was an "intrinsic element" of the site.
The current proposal was given the thumbs-up by Dublin City Council earlier this year.
Local residents submitted an appeal to An Bord Pleanála saying that Redcourt House would be "completely overshadowed and dwarfed" by the apartment block in the grounds.
However, An Bord Pleanála has now ruled that the development would not seriously injure the residential or visual amenities of the area.
In its conditions of planning permission, An Bord Pleanála said no apartment or townhouse could be occupied until works to Redcourt House are completed.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
An Bord Pleanála has granted developer Mark Piggott planning permission to turn the late 19th century house on Seafield Road East, which was extensively damaged in the blaze, into four apartments.
A five-storey apartment block with 33 apartments and nine townhouses will also be part of the development.
The property was the home of the Hardy family for several generations and was sold to developer Mark Piggott in 2004 for €7.5 million, €3.3 million more than the guide price.
Redcourt House hit the headlines in August when a 38-year-old man (believed to have been in the house before the fire broke out) presented himself at Raheny Garda station as the fire was still raging.
The fire was brought under control by five units of the fire brigade and the remains of a man were found.
The house on 1.65 acres has been at the centre of a protracted planning dispute in recent years.
An original proposal to demolish the house and build 54 apartments was rejected by both Dublin City Council and An Bord Pleanála.
Although the developer succeeded in stopping the house being listed as a protected structure, An Bord Pleanála said it was an "intrinsic element" of the site.
The current proposal was given the thumbs-up by Dublin City Council earlier this year.
Local residents submitted an appeal to An Bord Pleanála saying that Redcourt House would be "completely overshadowed and dwarfed" by the apartment block in the grounds.
However, An Bord Pleanála has now ruled that the development would not seriously injure the residential or visual amenities of the area.
In its conditions of planning permission, An Bord Pleanála said no apartment or townhouse could be occupied until works to Redcourt House are completed.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
New RIAI president plans to get people talking
Sean O'Laoire aims to stir public debate about architecture and planning as the RIAI's new president, writes Frank McDonald , Environment Editor
FORTY years ago, Sean O'Laoire was one of the leaders - along with the likes of Ruairi Quinn and Duncan Stewart - of the first student revolt in Ireland when architecture students occupied their school at UCD in Earlsfort Terrace, and ultimately got rid of its head, the late Desmond FitzGerald.
As O'Laoire recalls, there were real fears that the school would lose its recognition by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) - something that was very valuable at a time when so many had to go abroad to work. But it was the wider issues of architecture and society that interested him.
As the new president of the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI), O'Laoire has said that one of iis priorities would be to "galvanise" all of the architecture schools on the island - the two in Dublin (UCD and DIT), one in Belfast and the newer schools in Cork, Limerick and Waterford.
He wants them to become "vehicles for public debate" involving practitioners, academics and students and interested members of the public to look at "new concepts, projects, new ways of thinking" in a way that would engage with communities and be "meaningful for consumers of architecture, which we all are".
O'Laoire firmly believes that the context in which architects work is as significant as making architecture itself.
"There's an opportunity for the profession to become much more engaged in that debate and to be critical of systems that fail to deliver people's expectations, such as the county-based administrative system."
He cites "abysmal standards in many of the counties - everything from leadership to the service they provide to the public. There are some very good managers and some who are extraordinarily irresponsible. And councillors who use local area plans as a vehicle for rezoning rather than a tool for improvement.
"What I think has been exposed in the last 10 years, at a very crude level, is the construction industry's extraordinary capacity to produce goods and the system's dismal capacity to receive them. We're now left with the challenge of how to remediate it and start to look not at what might have been but at the future of Ireland.
"If we're serious about being a knowledge-based society, and we need to define it, where does architecture fit into that broad scheme of things? We need to find a language that transcends architects talking among each other and everyone paying lip-service to concepts of sustainability and spatial planning," he says.
O'Laoire admits to being nauseated by some of the manifestations of contemporary Ireland - housing estates and box-retail built-in fields at the edges of towns and villages, the colonisation of the countryside by one-off houses, and so on.
"It's the antithesis of what I believe it could be, but the potential of the place is what keeps me going."
Even in the worst of times, architects who took up part-time posts as tutors in the UCD School of Architecture - notably Yvonne Farrell, Shelley McNamara, Sheila O'Donnell, John Toumey and Paul Keogh - were informing the policy agenda. "Our generation set an agenda for change, but hadn't the resources to carry it through."
O'Laoire went to Italy after qualifying as an architect in 1972, and he remembers that Ruairi Quinn went to Athens and Duncan Stewart to Amsterdam.
"Numerous fellow students had to leave to work abroad, with successive waves of migration to London, but also to Paris and Berlin. And that's within most people's memory."
Now, along with Hugh Murray and younger co-directors, he runs Ireland's largest architectural practice, with offices in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Moscow, Aachen and Bratislava.
Walking through Murray O'Laoire's Dublin office in Fumbally Court, he takes delight in pointing to staff members from all over Europe and far beyond. Twenty years ago, the RIAI had not much more than 1,000 members, but now it has 2,400 - 30 per cent of whom are foreign nationals. Whether this will be maintained as the construction industry contracts is a moot point. But O'Laoire pays tribute to the institute's professionalism and its "Sir Humphrey", director John Graby.
"The other interesting coincidence is with the policies of two Green ministers and Noel Dempsey's agenda in transport", he says. "I'm not saying architects can change the world, but we should be able to inform how those policies are grounded, and like to think we will be having an open and positive engagement with them."
The Dublin he knew as a child was a different place. "We grew up on fringes of city, near the junction of Glasnevin (then Ballymun) Avenue and Ballygall Road. We watched the first housing schemes coming towards us - a rural society fusing with a slow-burning urbanisation that produced the likes of Bono and Dermot Bolger". His father, Dónal O'Laoire, was our Irish teacher at St Vincent's CBS in Glasnevin while his uncle Frank taught us geography.
He himself went to Coláiste Mhuire on Parnell Square and used to walk home via the Royal Canal Basin, Phibsborough Library, the Bon Secours Hospital and the dreaded Marlborough House detention centre.
While at Coláiste Mhuire, he was in the St Vincent de Paul Society and remembers visiting people in tenements, some of which collapsed after years of neglect.
"I was never able to see architecture as purely aesthetic and self-indulgent - it always had to have smells, and texture to it, that relates to how people live."
Dublin, he says, "still has a huge amount going for it. The city is held together by the river, and everything should acknowledge that. But it's increasingly difficult to find the right language in this liberal capitalist era, when developers see maximisation as the issue. So architects are trying to put logic on a chaotic situation."
Murray O'Laoire Architects has built a model of the city from Heuston Station to Docklands, and he finds it a "great visualising tool" for judging the impact of new projects.
He would also love to see Phibsborough emerging as a major centre, with the development of Grangegorman, Mountjoy Prison and Dalymount Park.
But he keeps coming back to the broader issues of planning and the Irish psyche.
"We have to decide whether we are a poorly administered metro Birmingham or a nation with ambitions.
"Even the absurdity of not connecting the dots, such as how schools are provided, is incompatible with being serious about a knowledge-based society".
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
FORTY years ago, Sean O'Laoire was one of the leaders - along with the likes of Ruairi Quinn and Duncan Stewart - of the first student revolt in Ireland when architecture students occupied their school at UCD in Earlsfort Terrace, and ultimately got rid of its head, the late Desmond FitzGerald.
As O'Laoire recalls, there were real fears that the school would lose its recognition by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) - something that was very valuable at a time when so many had to go abroad to work. But it was the wider issues of architecture and society that interested him.
As the new president of the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI), O'Laoire has said that one of iis priorities would be to "galvanise" all of the architecture schools on the island - the two in Dublin (UCD and DIT), one in Belfast and the newer schools in Cork, Limerick and Waterford.
He wants them to become "vehicles for public debate" involving practitioners, academics and students and interested members of the public to look at "new concepts, projects, new ways of thinking" in a way that would engage with communities and be "meaningful for consumers of architecture, which we all are".
O'Laoire firmly believes that the context in which architects work is as significant as making architecture itself.
"There's an opportunity for the profession to become much more engaged in that debate and to be critical of systems that fail to deliver people's expectations, such as the county-based administrative system."
He cites "abysmal standards in many of the counties - everything from leadership to the service they provide to the public. There are some very good managers and some who are extraordinarily irresponsible. And councillors who use local area plans as a vehicle for rezoning rather than a tool for improvement.
"What I think has been exposed in the last 10 years, at a very crude level, is the construction industry's extraordinary capacity to produce goods and the system's dismal capacity to receive them. We're now left with the challenge of how to remediate it and start to look not at what might have been but at the future of Ireland.
"If we're serious about being a knowledge-based society, and we need to define it, where does architecture fit into that broad scheme of things? We need to find a language that transcends architects talking among each other and everyone paying lip-service to concepts of sustainability and spatial planning," he says.
O'Laoire admits to being nauseated by some of the manifestations of contemporary Ireland - housing estates and box-retail built-in fields at the edges of towns and villages, the colonisation of the countryside by one-off houses, and so on.
"It's the antithesis of what I believe it could be, but the potential of the place is what keeps me going."
Even in the worst of times, architects who took up part-time posts as tutors in the UCD School of Architecture - notably Yvonne Farrell, Shelley McNamara, Sheila O'Donnell, John Toumey and Paul Keogh - were informing the policy agenda. "Our generation set an agenda for change, but hadn't the resources to carry it through."
O'Laoire went to Italy after qualifying as an architect in 1972, and he remembers that Ruairi Quinn went to Athens and Duncan Stewart to Amsterdam.
"Numerous fellow students had to leave to work abroad, with successive waves of migration to London, but also to Paris and Berlin. And that's within most people's memory."
Now, along with Hugh Murray and younger co-directors, he runs Ireland's largest architectural practice, with offices in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Moscow, Aachen and Bratislava.
Walking through Murray O'Laoire's Dublin office in Fumbally Court, he takes delight in pointing to staff members from all over Europe and far beyond. Twenty years ago, the RIAI had not much more than 1,000 members, but now it has 2,400 - 30 per cent of whom are foreign nationals. Whether this will be maintained as the construction industry contracts is a moot point. But O'Laoire pays tribute to the institute's professionalism and its "Sir Humphrey", director John Graby.
"The other interesting coincidence is with the policies of two Green ministers and Noel Dempsey's agenda in transport", he says. "I'm not saying architects can change the world, but we should be able to inform how those policies are grounded, and like to think we will be having an open and positive engagement with them."
The Dublin he knew as a child was a different place. "We grew up on fringes of city, near the junction of Glasnevin (then Ballymun) Avenue and Ballygall Road. We watched the first housing schemes coming towards us - a rural society fusing with a slow-burning urbanisation that produced the likes of Bono and Dermot Bolger". His father, Dónal O'Laoire, was our Irish teacher at St Vincent's CBS in Glasnevin while his uncle Frank taught us geography.
He himself went to Coláiste Mhuire on Parnell Square and used to walk home via the Royal Canal Basin, Phibsborough Library, the Bon Secours Hospital and the dreaded Marlborough House detention centre.
While at Coláiste Mhuire, he was in the St Vincent de Paul Society and remembers visiting people in tenements, some of which collapsed after years of neglect.
"I was never able to see architecture as purely aesthetic and self-indulgent - it always had to have smells, and texture to it, that relates to how people live."
Dublin, he says, "still has a huge amount going for it. The city is held together by the river, and everything should acknowledge that. But it's increasingly difficult to find the right language in this liberal capitalist era, when developers see maximisation as the issue. So architects are trying to put logic on a chaotic situation."
Murray O'Laoire Architects has built a model of the city from Heuston Station to Docklands, and he finds it a "great visualising tool" for judging the impact of new projects.
He would also love to see Phibsborough emerging as a major centre, with the development of Grangegorman, Mountjoy Prison and Dalymount Park.
But he keeps coming back to the broader issues of planning and the Irish psyche.
"We have to decide whether we are a poorly administered metro Birmingham or a nation with ambitions.
"Even the absurdity of not connecting the dots, such as how schools are provided, is incompatible with being serious about a knowledge-based society".
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Appeal against Lough Derg housing and leisure plan
An Bord Pleanála is to consider an appeal against a lakeside development at Lough Derg on the Shannon.
The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, together with a group of local residents, have lodged an appeal to the board against a decision by North Tipperary County Council to grant permission for a major housing and commercial development at Old Court in Terryglass, Co Tipperary.
Developers Gladedale Ltd have been granted planning permission for a sustainable energy housing development, along with a health centre, a marina, shops, a bar/restaurant and a play area for children.
The first part of the planned development provides for a village streetscape comprising of two-three storey units, with peripheral units of one-two stories.
The existing barn is to be converted to apartments, with adjoining storage buildings and a greenhouse to be removed.
The developers also plan to erect an art gallery with an artist studios/management company office, 21 apartments, 15 houses, 22 sustainable energy houses and bin storage areas.
A hair/beauty salon, creche, marine shop, public bar/restaurant, service area, youth recreation centre, public play area, public tennis court, meeting point and communal greenhouse are also proposed.
A service building will accommodate maintenance equipment and a carbon-neutral industrial pellet boiler to service the sustainable energy houses.
A recycling area and 89 car-parking facilities are also included in this phase of the development.
The developers are also proposing a two-storey health centre, a fishing club and a service block for the Old Court site.
The ground floor of the centre will have a reception lobby, lift, gymnasium, coffee shop, storage, toilets, swimming pool, changing rooms, office, plant room and a service area.
The first floor will have a health spa to include lobby, changing rooms, central lounge, steam room, sauna, jacuzzi, cold shower rooms, two treatment rooms and balcony area.
Plans for the fishing clubhouse and service block include a private inland marina with service docks using an existing break in the shoreline for an entrance and a separate smaller inland marina to service the fishing club with a new entrance from the lake.
North Tipperary County Council had attached 58 conditions to the granting of planning permission.
An Bord Pleanála is expected to make its ruling on the matter by April.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, together with a group of local residents, have lodged an appeal to the board against a decision by North Tipperary County Council to grant permission for a major housing and commercial development at Old Court in Terryglass, Co Tipperary.
Developers Gladedale Ltd have been granted planning permission for a sustainable energy housing development, along with a health centre, a marina, shops, a bar/restaurant and a play area for children.
The first part of the planned development provides for a village streetscape comprising of two-three storey units, with peripheral units of one-two stories.
The existing barn is to be converted to apartments, with adjoining storage buildings and a greenhouse to be removed.
The developers also plan to erect an art gallery with an artist studios/management company office, 21 apartments, 15 houses, 22 sustainable energy houses and bin storage areas.
A hair/beauty salon, creche, marine shop, public bar/restaurant, service area, youth recreation centre, public play area, public tennis court, meeting point and communal greenhouse are also proposed.
A service building will accommodate maintenance equipment and a carbon-neutral industrial pellet boiler to service the sustainable energy houses.
A recycling area and 89 car-parking facilities are also included in this phase of the development.
The developers are also proposing a two-storey health centre, a fishing club and a service block for the Old Court site.
The ground floor of the centre will have a reception lobby, lift, gymnasium, coffee shop, storage, toilets, swimming pool, changing rooms, office, plant room and a service area.
The first floor will have a health spa to include lobby, changing rooms, central lounge, steam room, sauna, jacuzzi, cold shower rooms, two treatment rooms and balcony area.
Plans for the fishing clubhouse and service block include a private inland marina with service docks using an existing break in the shoreline for an entrance and a separate smaller inland marina to service the fishing club with a new entrance from the lake.
North Tipperary County Council had attached 58 conditions to the granting of planning permission.
An Bord Pleanála is expected to make its ruling on the matter by April.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
520-bed hotel planned for Gasworks site
Proposals to turn an empty apartment block at the site of the former gasworks in Ringsend into a 520-bed hotel - one of the biggest in Dublin - are to be put before Dublin city councillors on Monday.
The apartments in the Alliance building, the nine-storey cylindrical building constructed inside the metal struts of the Victorian gasometer at the Gasworks scheme, have lain vacant since they went on sale in 2006.
Liam Carroll, the man behind Zoe developments and one of Ireland's most prolific developers, bought the 7.8-acre gasworks site with its landmark building from Bord Gáis in the mid-1990s.
Six hundred apartments were initially built in the area immediately surrounding the former gasholder, the majority of which are occupied, along with an office complex now occupied by Google.
A further 210 apartments were built in the former gasholder, but these have failed to sell in sufficient numbers to make the scheme viable.
Mr Carroll has now applied to Dublin City Council for permission to turn the vacant block into a hotel. Significant changes are being sought to the fabric of the building, which is a protected structure.
The application calls for the construction of a four-storey high glazed roof "springing" from the first floor level over the internal courtyard to incorporate this outdoor space within the hotel. Existing internal deck access to apartments would be enclosed with glazing from the first to eighth floor level to provide a "winter garden" corridor to access the hotel bedrooms.
There would also be a new three-storey glazed entrance to the hotel and the car parking spaces would be reduced from 335 to 37. In addition to this application Mr Carroll is seeking a substantial extension to the adjoining Google office block to provide an additional 5,617sq m of office space.
Both proposals will be presented by the city planners to the southeast area councillors on Monday.
Councillors will then recommend whether they consider the conversion of the residential complex into a hotel a positive step. Councillors are likely to be influenced by the attitudes of residents in the existing apartments within the complex.
Large numbers of residents contributing to an online forum have expressed serious concerns in relation to the project, particularly the possibility of a bar or club being part of the hotel, which, they said could present problems with noise and an influx of "drunk fans" following matches in the nearby Lansdowne Road.
The also raised the issue of access to their parking spaces, which are currently under the Alliance building, the quality of the hotel which might take over the complex, and legal concerns surrounding ownership of the common areas once a hotel was in place.
Objections to the planning applications must be made to the council by February 4th.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
The apartments in the Alliance building, the nine-storey cylindrical building constructed inside the metal struts of the Victorian gasometer at the Gasworks scheme, have lain vacant since they went on sale in 2006.
Liam Carroll, the man behind Zoe developments and one of Ireland's most prolific developers, bought the 7.8-acre gasworks site with its landmark building from Bord Gáis in the mid-1990s.
Six hundred apartments were initially built in the area immediately surrounding the former gasholder, the majority of which are occupied, along with an office complex now occupied by Google.
A further 210 apartments were built in the former gasholder, but these have failed to sell in sufficient numbers to make the scheme viable.
Mr Carroll has now applied to Dublin City Council for permission to turn the vacant block into a hotel. Significant changes are being sought to the fabric of the building, which is a protected structure.
The application calls for the construction of a four-storey high glazed roof "springing" from the first floor level over the internal courtyard to incorporate this outdoor space within the hotel. Existing internal deck access to apartments would be enclosed with glazing from the first to eighth floor level to provide a "winter garden" corridor to access the hotel bedrooms.
There would also be a new three-storey glazed entrance to the hotel and the car parking spaces would be reduced from 335 to 37. In addition to this application Mr Carroll is seeking a substantial extension to the adjoining Google office block to provide an additional 5,617sq m of office space.
Both proposals will be presented by the city planners to the southeast area councillors on Monday.
Councillors will then recommend whether they consider the conversion of the residential complex into a hotel a positive step. Councillors are likely to be influenced by the attitudes of residents in the existing apartments within the complex.
Large numbers of residents contributing to an online forum have expressed serious concerns in relation to the project, particularly the possibility of a bar or club being part of the hotel, which, they said could present problems with noise and an influx of "drunk fans" following matches in the nearby Lansdowne Road.
The also raised the issue of access to their parking spaces, which are currently under the Alliance building, the quality of the hotel which might take over the complex, and legal concerns surrounding ownership of the common areas once a hotel was in place.
Objections to the planning applications must be made to the council by February 4th.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
O'Dwyers finally get green light for city hotel
One More Thing: This year has started well for the O'Dwyer brothers, Liam and Des, who have had objections to their proposed 300-bed hotel on Dublin's Abbey Street withdrawn.
The pair, who own the Dublin-based Capital Bars, are developing the €100 million project as a joint venture with CIÉ and Dublin Bus, who plan to locate an interchange at ground level with the hotel above.
Dublin City Council gave the project the green light last September but the decision was appealed by the Rail Procurement Agency and New Horizons, a local business.
Construction work should begin this summer with the hotel due to open in late 2010. Bennett Construction is responsible for the build, while Anglo Irish Bank is providing the debt.
Just before Christmas, the O'Dwyers added a planning application for a 90-bed hotel at the rear of Zanzibar, their superpub which adjoins the Abbey Street site. They want to integrate the two properties.
The hotels will be pitched at the three-star market, which has thrived in recent times on the back of business brought here by low-cost airlines.
In recent years, the O'Dwyers have gradually shifted their focus away from pubs, where profits at Capital Bars have drained away.
Adding 390 rooms on Abbey Street to their existing Trinity and Grafton Capital hotels in Dublin will make it one of the biggest operators in the city.
It could coincide with the closure of Seán Dunne's hotels in Ballsbridge, which would remove a large chunk of bed stock from Dublin city.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
The pair, who own the Dublin-based Capital Bars, are developing the €100 million project as a joint venture with CIÉ and Dublin Bus, who plan to locate an interchange at ground level with the hotel above.
Dublin City Council gave the project the green light last September but the decision was appealed by the Rail Procurement Agency and New Horizons, a local business.
Construction work should begin this summer with the hotel due to open in late 2010. Bennett Construction is responsible for the build, while Anglo Irish Bank is providing the debt.
Just before Christmas, the O'Dwyers added a planning application for a 90-bed hotel at the rear of Zanzibar, their superpub which adjoins the Abbey Street site. They want to integrate the two properties.
The hotels will be pitched at the three-star market, which has thrived in recent times on the back of business brought here by low-cost airlines.
In recent years, the O'Dwyers have gradually shifted their focus away from pubs, where profits at Capital Bars have drained away.
Adding 390 rooms on Abbey Street to their existing Trinity and Grafton Capital hotels in Dublin will make it one of the biggest operators in the city.
It could coincide with the closure of Seán Dunne's hotels in Ballsbridge, which would remove a large chunk of bed stock from Dublin city.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
€70m retail park for Navan
Blackrock International Land and its partner Lagan Developments are about to begin construction of a €70 million retail park in Navan, Co Meath. The development has received full planning permission and an anchor tenant has been secured. Sisk will be the main contractor on the site, which fronts on to the new road network in Navan.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Ryanair challenge to T2 prevented
The High Court has prevented Ryanair from bringing a further legal challenge to the granting of planning permission for a second terminal at Dublin airport.
Mr Justice Frank Clarke ruled yesterday that the terms of settlement of a previous court action precluded Ryanair from bringing a fresh challenge to the permission for the T2 terminal.
He was referring to a settlement between Ryanair and the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) in 2006 of a challenge by the airline to the second terminal. An Bord Pleanála granted planning permission for T2 last August.
Ryanair launched a High Court challenge to the validity of that decision in September.
Last month, the DAA applied to the High Court to have that challenge dismissed. Mr Justice Clarke granted that application yesterday.
Ryanair had launched the first legal challenge shortly after the Government decided in May 2005 to grant permission for the second terminal. That action was settled almost a year later following correspondence between Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary and DAA chief executive Declan Collier.
The Government decision was based on passenger projections of 30 million by 2020 and it was envisaged that the second terminal should be built by 2009.
In its first challenge, Ryanair claimed the decision to allow the DAA to build T2 was an abuse of its dominant position and it breached EU treaties and competition law. Ryanair also argued it was done in order to allow "inefficient" trade union-controlled work practices to continue at the new terminal. The case was settled in March 2006 and struck out by the court on agreed terms.
Yesterday, the judge said the agreement arose after it appeared "peace had broken out" between Ryanair and the DAA following a long history of disputes between the two parties.
Dismissing Ryanair's proceedings, Mr Justice Clarke found that the recently approved planning permission was in keeping with a report commissioned by the DAA in September 2005 and upon which the agreement which led to the legal settlement was based.
On the basis of the agreement reached between Ryanair and the DAA in March 2006, the airline was precluded from taking any further legal action, he ruled.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Mr Justice Frank Clarke ruled yesterday that the terms of settlement of a previous court action precluded Ryanair from bringing a fresh challenge to the permission for the T2 terminal.
He was referring to a settlement between Ryanair and the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) in 2006 of a challenge by the airline to the second terminal. An Bord Pleanála granted planning permission for T2 last August.
Ryanair launched a High Court challenge to the validity of that decision in September.
Last month, the DAA applied to the High Court to have that challenge dismissed. Mr Justice Clarke granted that application yesterday.
Ryanair had launched the first legal challenge shortly after the Government decided in May 2005 to grant permission for the second terminal. That action was settled almost a year later following correspondence between Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary and DAA chief executive Declan Collier.
The Government decision was based on passenger projections of 30 million by 2020 and it was envisaged that the second terminal should be built by 2009.
In its first challenge, Ryanair claimed the decision to allow the DAA to build T2 was an abuse of its dominant position and it breached EU treaties and competition law. Ryanair also argued it was done in order to allow "inefficient" trade union-controlled work practices to continue at the new terminal. The case was settled in March 2006 and struck out by the court on agreed terms.
Yesterday, the judge said the agreement arose after it appeared "peace had broken out" between Ryanair and the DAA following a long history of disputes between the two parties.
Dismissing Ryanair's proceedings, Mr Justice Clarke found that the recently approved planning permission was in keeping with a report commissioned by the DAA in September 2005 and upon which the agreement which led to the legal settlement was based.
On the basis of the agreement reached between Ryanair and the DAA in March 2006, the airline was precluded from taking any further legal action, he ruled.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Limerick takes new approach to urban renewal
Plans to breathe new life into deprived areas of Limerick will need to avoid the mistakes of previous regeneration attempts, writes Carl O'Brien , Social Affairs Correspondent
Above a shop in one of the sprawling local authority housing estates near Moyross in Limerick city is a faded 1940s plaque which proudly boasts its history as one of the first public housing schemes in the State.
There is no sign of such civic pride today. The local authority housing estates in Moyross and Southill are among the most deprived in the State. Unemployment rates are five times the national average. School drop-out rates are alarmingly high, while drug and alcohol abuse have destroyed large numbers of families.
But the area is most notorious for criminal elements in some parts of the estates, which earned a reputation - however unfairly - as a place synonymous with violence, fear and intimidation.
The ambitious regeneration plans to be published later this month by a recently established Government agency will seek to undo decades of neglect by transforming areas such as Moyross and Southill into desirable areas to live. It is one of the largest urban renewal projects in Europe, involving the demolition of thousands of homes and the construction of two new town centres, while it hopes to attract private investment in housing, hotels and shops.
However, regeneration plans have come and gone before. For example, millions were spent in the early 1990s rebuilding and renaming Glenagross Park, an estate in Moyross, where almost a third of houses were boarded up and there was 80 per cent unemployment.
Today, just over a decade later, many houses there are again boarded up or burned-out.
What makes this latest plan different, say those involved in drafting it, is that it is not just about rebuilding houses. It also involves some bold and controversial proposals aimed at tacking social problems.
Chief among these is that those seeking to get a local authority house should be required to have Garda clearance, or a "certificate of eligibility". This is aimed at stopping criminals buying up property in the area, as has been happening in a number of the estates in recent years.
The report also questions whether it is right for individuals who neglect their children or who are involved in anti-social behaviour to receive welfare benefits.
The proposals are certain to spark a debate over whether the moves go too far, or if they are just dumping social problems on to other areas of the city.
Whatever about how the debate will unfold, the involvement of senior officials from Government departments and local authorities in signing off on the proposals already gives them an authoritative foundation.
For those who are vulnerable and in need of support, such as lone parents, people with disabilities or ex-prisoners, it proposes intensive one-to-one support in areas such as parenting skills, training or education.
Another sign that this regeneration plan may be different from previous ones is the genuine involvement of local people.
Many of the recommendations were suggested or approved by locals as part of a lengthy consultation process over the course of the last year.
The next crucial phase in the regeneration effort will be whether the Government will provide the necessary resources to breathe life into these ambitious plans.
Undoing decades of neglect will take a sustained investment far beyond providing resources for physical infrastructure.
It will involve trying to co-ordinate responses to social and education problems, changing the way State agencies liaise with the local community, and ultimately breaking the cycle of disadvantage.
Main recommendations
• Up to 2,500 houses should be demolished and families provided with new houses in the area.
• Only families with "eligibility certificates", or Garda clearance, should be allocated local authority housing
• A new tenant purchase scheme should be introduced to make it more affordable for families to buy their local authority houses.
• Two new town centres in Moyross and Southill, with facilities such as shops and hotels, are urged. Private investment could lead to about 4,000 private homes.
• Two major Garda stations should be built in Moyross and Southill with 100 new gardaí.
• Each area should have a good social mix, with no more than 20 per cent social housing in each area.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Above a shop in one of the sprawling local authority housing estates near Moyross in Limerick city is a faded 1940s plaque which proudly boasts its history as one of the first public housing schemes in the State.
There is no sign of such civic pride today. The local authority housing estates in Moyross and Southill are among the most deprived in the State. Unemployment rates are five times the national average. School drop-out rates are alarmingly high, while drug and alcohol abuse have destroyed large numbers of families.
But the area is most notorious for criminal elements in some parts of the estates, which earned a reputation - however unfairly - as a place synonymous with violence, fear and intimidation.
The ambitious regeneration plans to be published later this month by a recently established Government agency will seek to undo decades of neglect by transforming areas such as Moyross and Southill into desirable areas to live. It is one of the largest urban renewal projects in Europe, involving the demolition of thousands of homes and the construction of two new town centres, while it hopes to attract private investment in housing, hotels and shops.
However, regeneration plans have come and gone before. For example, millions were spent in the early 1990s rebuilding and renaming Glenagross Park, an estate in Moyross, where almost a third of houses were boarded up and there was 80 per cent unemployment.
Today, just over a decade later, many houses there are again boarded up or burned-out.
What makes this latest plan different, say those involved in drafting it, is that it is not just about rebuilding houses. It also involves some bold and controversial proposals aimed at tacking social problems.
Chief among these is that those seeking to get a local authority house should be required to have Garda clearance, or a "certificate of eligibility". This is aimed at stopping criminals buying up property in the area, as has been happening in a number of the estates in recent years.
The report also questions whether it is right for individuals who neglect their children or who are involved in anti-social behaviour to receive welfare benefits.
The proposals are certain to spark a debate over whether the moves go too far, or if they are just dumping social problems on to other areas of the city.
Whatever about how the debate will unfold, the involvement of senior officials from Government departments and local authorities in signing off on the proposals already gives them an authoritative foundation.
For those who are vulnerable and in need of support, such as lone parents, people with disabilities or ex-prisoners, it proposes intensive one-to-one support in areas such as parenting skills, training or education.
Another sign that this regeneration plan may be different from previous ones is the genuine involvement of local people.
Many of the recommendations were suggested or approved by locals as part of a lengthy consultation process over the course of the last year.
The next crucial phase in the regeneration effort will be whether the Government will provide the necessary resources to breathe life into these ambitious plans.
Undoing decades of neglect will take a sustained investment far beyond providing resources for physical infrastructure.
It will involve trying to co-ordinate responses to social and education problems, changing the way State agencies liaise with the local community, and ultimately breaking the cycle of disadvantage.
Main recommendations
• Up to 2,500 houses should be demolished and families provided with new houses in the area.
• Only families with "eligibility certificates", or Garda clearance, should be allocated local authority housing
• A new tenant purchase scheme should be introduced to make it more affordable for families to buy their local authority houses.
• Two new town centres in Moyross and Southill, with facilities such as shops and hotels, are urged. Private investment could lead to about 4,000 private homes.
• Two major Garda stations should be built in Moyross and Southill with 100 new gardaí.
• Each area should have a good social mix, with no more than 20 per cent social housing in each area.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Clearance by Garda proposed for housing in Limerick
Individuals will have to obtain Garda clearance before they are allocated local authority housing in deprived areas of Limerick city if a major Government regeneration plan is adopted. Carl O'Brien , Social Affairs Correspondent, reports
This is one of a series of radical proposals contained in plans for the demolition and rebuilding of the Moyross and Southill areas. The plan is due to be launched by President Mary McAleese later this month.
The Irish Times has learned that the report will propose demolishing almost 2,500 houses and creating two new town centres with shops, hotels and Garda stations.
The report will also raise a number of controversial social policy questions, such as whether parents who neglect their children or who are involved in criminal activity should be allowed retain their welfare benefits.
The plans were signed off in recent days by the board of the Government's regeneration agencies for Limerick's northside and southside, which are chaired by former assistant Dublin city manager Brendan Kenny.
The board includes senior officials in government departments and agencies such as the Health Service Executive (HSE), the Garda and the local authorities of Limerick city and county and Co Clare.
The "Vision" plan, which follows a lengthy consultation process with local communities, is deliberately radical and seeks not to repeat the mistakes of urban renewal projects in other parts of the State.
The plan states that life in parts of Limerick city has been made difficult for the majority of responsible citizens living on the estates, many of whom feel marginalised, frustrated and demoralised.
The proposal that applicants for housing should obtain a "certificate of eligibility" and Garda clearance is likely to spark a public debate over whether the plans go too far in addressing the issue of criminality in the area.
It follows evidence that some criminals have been buying up homes in parts of Moyross and Southill, spreading anti-social behaviour and criminality.
Those involved in drafting the plans say the recommendations have the full support of the community, whose members suggested many of the ideas contained in the final document.
One of these recommendations is that a new tenant-purchase scheme should be introduced which is more affordable than the existing shared ownership scheme.
This would allow local authority tenants to incrementally buy their homes from the State.
The report accepts that deprived areas of Limerick's northside and southside have been "failed" in the past by public services, despite the efforts of officials on the ground.
It recommends a new co-ordinated response to social and education problems to break the cycle of disadvantage.
Part of this involves one-to-one support for vulnerable groups, such as lone parents or ex-prisoners.
The report also states that private investment should be attracted into the areas, especially on State-owned lands.
It estimates that as many as 4,500 new private homes could be built in the area, with the help of private investment.
The document, due to be published on January 21st, will be circulated to Government departments and other agencies who will be involved in the regeneration of the area.
It follows on from a report by former Dublin city manager John Fitzgerald, who wrote an initial study into the regeneration needs of the city which was accepted by the Cabinet. Moyross and Southill have experienced acute social problems and high-profile criminality over many years.
The injuries suffered by two children when the car they were sitting in was petrol-bombed led to a national outcry and prompted the Government's response.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
This is one of a series of radical proposals contained in plans for the demolition and rebuilding of the Moyross and Southill areas. The plan is due to be launched by President Mary McAleese later this month.
The Irish Times has learned that the report will propose demolishing almost 2,500 houses and creating two new town centres with shops, hotels and Garda stations.
The report will also raise a number of controversial social policy questions, such as whether parents who neglect their children or who are involved in criminal activity should be allowed retain their welfare benefits.
The plans were signed off in recent days by the board of the Government's regeneration agencies for Limerick's northside and southside, which are chaired by former assistant Dublin city manager Brendan Kenny.
The board includes senior officials in government departments and agencies such as the Health Service Executive (HSE), the Garda and the local authorities of Limerick city and county and Co Clare.
The "Vision" plan, which follows a lengthy consultation process with local communities, is deliberately radical and seeks not to repeat the mistakes of urban renewal projects in other parts of the State.
The plan states that life in parts of Limerick city has been made difficult for the majority of responsible citizens living on the estates, many of whom feel marginalised, frustrated and demoralised.
The proposal that applicants for housing should obtain a "certificate of eligibility" and Garda clearance is likely to spark a public debate over whether the plans go too far in addressing the issue of criminality in the area.
It follows evidence that some criminals have been buying up homes in parts of Moyross and Southill, spreading anti-social behaviour and criminality.
Those involved in drafting the plans say the recommendations have the full support of the community, whose members suggested many of the ideas contained in the final document.
One of these recommendations is that a new tenant-purchase scheme should be introduced which is more affordable than the existing shared ownership scheme.
This would allow local authority tenants to incrementally buy their homes from the State.
The report accepts that deprived areas of Limerick's northside and southside have been "failed" in the past by public services, despite the efforts of officials on the ground.
It recommends a new co-ordinated response to social and education problems to break the cycle of disadvantage.
Part of this involves one-to-one support for vulnerable groups, such as lone parents or ex-prisoners.
The report also states that private investment should be attracted into the areas, especially on State-owned lands.
It estimates that as many as 4,500 new private homes could be built in the area, with the help of private investment.
The document, due to be published on January 21st, will be circulated to Government departments and other agencies who will be involved in the regeneration of the area.
It follows on from a report by former Dublin city manager John Fitzgerald, who wrote an initial study into the regeneration needs of the city which was accepted by the Cabinet. Moyross and Southill have experienced acute social problems and high-profile criminality over many years.
The injuries suffered by two children when the car they were sitting in was petrol-bombed led to a national outcry and prompted the Government's response.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Friday, 11 January 2008
Payments to Poolbeg incinerator experts top €19m
Dublin City Council has splashed out more than €19m on experts in the preparation of plans for the controversial Poolbeg incinerator.
However, one company -- consultant engineer's MC O'Sullivan & Co -- has received the lion's share of the spending spree. The council paid the company more than €13m for its expert opinion on plans for the new waste-burning facility.
A further €5m was paid to RPS Consulting Engineers who have taken over MC O'Sullivan.
Other substantial consultancy fees were paid to Elsam Kraft A/S (€250,000), AWN Consulting (€90,000) and BDO Simpson Xavier (€69,781).
Dublin City Council refused to comment on the figures yesterday. However, it has stated in the past that the waste-to-energy plant will generate enough energy to provide electricity for 50,000 homes and district heating for a further 60,000.
According to Labour Cllr Kevin Humphreys, some of the market research surveys commissioned by the council "were geared to give the impression that there was support in Dublin" for the facility.
High
He added that although MC O'Sullivan had been hired over several years to bring the scheme up to planning permission stage, the figure was "extremely high".
Residents in Ringsend are set to seek a judicial review this month against the decision by An Bord Pleanala to grant permission for the incinerator.
They claim any potential accidents at the plan, which will burn 600,000 tonnes of waste a year, would have knock-on effects across the capital city.
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
However, one company -- consultant engineer's MC O'Sullivan & Co -- has received the lion's share of the spending spree. The council paid the company more than €13m for its expert opinion on plans for the new waste-burning facility.
A further €5m was paid to RPS Consulting Engineers who have taken over MC O'Sullivan.
Other substantial consultancy fees were paid to Elsam Kraft A/S (€250,000), AWN Consulting (€90,000) and BDO Simpson Xavier (€69,781).
Dublin City Council refused to comment on the figures yesterday. However, it has stated in the past that the waste-to-energy plant will generate enough energy to provide electricity for 50,000 homes and district heating for a further 60,000.
According to Labour Cllr Kevin Humphreys, some of the market research surveys commissioned by the council "were geared to give the impression that there was support in Dublin" for the facility.
High
He added that although MC O'Sullivan had been hired over several years to bring the scheme up to planning permission stage, the figure was "extremely high".
Residents in Ringsend are set to seek a judicial review this month against the decision by An Bord Pleanala to grant permission for the incinerator.
They claim any potential accidents at the plan, which will burn 600,000 tonnes of waste a year, would have knock-on effects across the capital city.
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Minister told 'stop conning people' over planning issue
AN OUTSPOKEN County Councillor has thrown down the gauntlet to the Environment Minister, challenging him to make himself the sole arbiter on planning decisions in Ireland.
Cllr Paddy McGuinness said Minister John Gormley should stop "conning" people into believing members have any say in local planning policy. The Fine Gael whip was reacting to news that the Environment Minister is to tighten up on planning rules, making it even more difficult to secure permission for one-off houses.
Cllr McGuinness, who has been instrumental in drawing up a radical new development plan for Mayo, said the current system was something of a "sham", if the minister could reduce the role of elected representatives in the process.
If emerged at the end of last month that Minster Gormley intends to issue new guidelines on the development of towns, villages and unserviced rural lands. Under the provisions, which are expected to be put out for consultation at the end of January, towns with fewer than 400 people will only get permission for ten to 12 extra houses, over the life of a local development plan. It's also expected that local authorities will be forbidden from increasing the number of houses in towns of up to 5,000 by more than 15 per cent in the life of a seven-year plan.
Reacting to Minister Gormley's plan, Cllr McGuinness said there was "absolutely no point in leading people to believe councillors have influence on planning policy when the Department has the final say".
"If the minister has the courage to hold such strong views on planning, let him go the whole hog and make himself the planning authority. There is no point in leading people to believe that the councillors they elect have any say if the minister can wade in at the last minute and dictate to them," the Fine Gael member said.
"I would also question where the minister intends people to live, if he is going to put restrictions on towns, villages and rural areas. Is he saying that Dublin is the only place people can live, and the only place that services will be put into?"
When asked if he had concerns about the success of the new draft development plan in light of the forthcoming guidelines, Cllr McGuinness acknowledged that much of what was jointly proposed by Fine Gael and Fianna Fail is at odds with national policy
"What we did in the draft plan is to provide an alternative to the existing ideology of centralisation, which is not working in Mayo. The alternative may fail, but at least it is an alternative.
"I welcome the minister's input on the Mayo plan as an objective third party. There is a lot there on the development of pedestrian facilities and park and ride in towns that I think he will approve of. We made it clear that all parties acted in good faith in drafting the plan, and that they had regard to' the principles of proper planning and sustainable development."
Proposals made by council members to the Draft Mayo County Development Plan are to go on display to the public in the coming days, and further submissions will be accepted before the document is finalised.
Fiona Mcgarry
Western People
www.buckplanning.ie
Cllr Paddy McGuinness said Minister John Gormley should stop "conning" people into believing members have any say in local planning policy. The Fine Gael whip was reacting to news that the Environment Minister is to tighten up on planning rules, making it even more difficult to secure permission for one-off houses.
Cllr McGuinness, who has been instrumental in drawing up a radical new development plan for Mayo, said the current system was something of a "sham", if the minister could reduce the role of elected representatives in the process.
If emerged at the end of last month that Minster Gormley intends to issue new guidelines on the development of towns, villages and unserviced rural lands. Under the provisions, which are expected to be put out for consultation at the end of January, towns with fewer than 400 people will only get permission for ten to 12 extra houses, over the life of a local development plan. It's also expected that local authorities will be forbidden from increasing the number of houses in towns of up to 5,000 by more than 15 per cent in the life of a seven-year plan.
Reacting to Minister Gormley's plan, Cllr McGuinness said there was "absolutely no point in leading people to believe councillors have influence on planning policy when the Department has the final say".
"If the minister has the courage to hold such strong views on planning, let him go the whole hog and make himself the planning authority. There is no point in leading people to believe that the councillors they elect have any say if the minister can wade in at the last minute and dictate to them," the Fine Gael member said.
"I would also question where the minister intends people to live, if he is going to put restrictions on towns, villages and rural areas. Is he saying that Dublin is the only place people can live, and the only place that services will be put into?"
When asked if he had concerns about the success of the new draft development plan in light of the forthcoming guidelines, Cllr McGuinness acknowledged that much of what was jointly proposed by Fine Gael and Fianna Fail is at odds with national policy
"What we did in the draft plan is to provide an alternative to the existing ideology of centralisation, which is not working in Mayo. The alternative may fail, but at least it is an alternative.
"I welcome the minister's input on the Mayo plan as an objective third party. There is a lot there on the development of pedestrian facilities and park and ride in towns that I think he will approve of. We made it clear that all parties acted in good faith in drafting the plan, and that they had regard to' the principles of proper planning and sustainable development."
Proposals made by council members to the Draft Mayo County Development Plan are to go on display to the public in the coming days, and further submissions will be accepted before the document is finalised.
Fiona Mcgarry
Western People
www.buckplanning.ie
EPA may sue Clare council over dump
Persistent foul odour problems at Clare County Council's €11 million waste dump have prompted the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to accuse the council of further breaches of its landfill licence.
In response to the council's failure to eradicate the nuisance, the EPA has issued the local authority with two further non-compliance notices.
Now, the EPA has warned that if the council does not remedy the problem, it "will leave the agency no option but to consider legal action in relation to the matter".
Since the waste dump at Ballyduffbeg, Inagh, near Ennis, opened in September 2002, the EPA has issued the council with 18 non-compliance notices.
The most recent non-compliance notice was served last November and the notice before that was served in September.
The November notice resulted from an inspection of the site and surrounds by EPA staff, which recorded eight incidents of odour affecting homes in the vicinity of the dump. The report found that five homes were affected by bad smells and the inspector concluded that in each case the odour detected "did result in significant interference with amenities and the environment beyond the boundary of the licensed facility".
Reporting on foul smells from the dump at the home of Brian Fitzgerald, the EPA found: "The intensity of the odour was strong and was persistent, being detected throughout the period of the observation.
"The odour detected was of landfill gas and was consistent with the operational of the central landfill." In the other incidents, the EPA found that the odour nuisance was described as moderate.
The council spent a further €3.6 million on the facility last year and in response to the EPA's notices about breaches of the licence, Ger Dollard, the council's director for the environment, said.
Gordon Deegan
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
In response to the council's failure to eradicate the nuisance, the EPA has issued the local authority with two further non-compliance notices.
Now, the EPA has warned that if the council does not remedy the problem, it "will leave the agency no option but to consider legal action in relation to the matter".
Since the waste dump at Ballyduffbeg, Inagh, near Ennis, opened in September 2002, the EPA has issued the council with 18 non-compliance notices.
The most recent non-compliance notice was served last November and the notice before that was served in September.
The November notice resulted from an inspection of the site and surrounds by EPA staff, which recorded eight incidents of odour affecting homes in the vicinity of the dump. The report found that five homes were affected by bad smells and the inspector concluded that in each case the odour detected "did result in significant interference with amenities and the environment beyond the boundary of the licensed facility".
Reporting on foul smells from the dump at the home of Brian Fitzgerald, the EPA found: "The intensity of the odour was strong and was persistent, being detected throughout the period of the observation.
"The odour detected was of landfill gas and was consistent with the operational of the central landfill." In the other incidents, the EPA found that the odour nuisance was described as moderate.
The council spent a further €3.6 million on the facility last year and in response to the EPA's notices about breaches of the licence, Ger Dollard, the council's director for the environment, said.
Gordon Deegan
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Mayor warns minister to keep his hands off Kerry
THE Mayor of Kerry has launched a scathing attacking on the Environment Minister and has accused him of flying in the face of democracy.
Cllr Michael Healy-Rae was commenting on plans by Minister John Gormley to curtail rural developments by prohibiting the development of more than 12 houses in villages of less than 400 people.
"This flies in the face of the democratic elected local government structures that are so cherished in this country," Mayor Healy-Rae complained.
"We have the most centralised government structures in Europe and our minister wishes to reduce powers of local councillors and authorities even further," he added.
In an open letter to the minister, a copy of which has been sent to The Kingdom, the Mayor of Kerry said that it was the council's duty under the 2000 Planning and Development Act to draw up local area plans in consultation with local interest groups and planners.
"These are some of the most hotly debated meetings that take place with the remit of local authority.
"The Local Area Plan is a legal document and a public statement of planning policies. It sets out a strategy for the proper planning and sustainable development of an area," Cllr Healy-Rae stated.
"The plan seeks to provide a framework for how a town can develop and provides some ideas as to how this development can be achieved," he added.
Under the current arrangement in Kerry, local area plans can examine what new developments are needed and where public and private resources are required.
"We in Kerry County Council have strived at all times to build communities where the necessary infrastructures are in place," Mayor Healy-Rae insisted.
"We must at all times be awareof the effect of largescale development on the facilities necessary to maintain a vibrant community, we must at all times seek to maintain the necessary infrastructure that make up a community, access to schools, shops and recreational areas," he added.
"As a democratically elected representative of the people I am telling Minster Gormley to keep his hands off the powers of local authorities and the elected councillors."
Mary Murphy
The Kingdom
www.buckplanning.ie
Cllr Michael Healy-Rae was commenting on plans by Minister John Gormley to curtail rural developments by prohibiting the development of more than 12 houses in villages of less than 400 people.
"This flies in the face of the democratic elected local government structures that are so cherished in this country," Mayor Healy-Rae complained.
"We have the most centralised government structures in Europe and our minister wishes to reduce powers of local councillors and authorities even further," he added.
In an open letter to the minister, a copy of which has been sent to The Kingdom, the Mayor of Kerry said that it was the council's duty under the 2000 Planning and Development Act to draw up local area plans in consultation with local interest groups and planners.
"These are some of the most hotly debated meetings that take place with the remit of local authority.
"The Local Area Plan is a legal document and a public statement of planning policies. It sets out a strategy for the proper planning and sustainable development of an area," Cllr Healy-Rae stated.
"The plan seeks to provide a framework for how a town can develop and provides some ideas as to how this development can be achieved," he added.
Under the current arrangement in Kerry, local area plans can examine what new developments are needed and where public and private resources are required.
"We in Kerry County Council have strived at all times to build communities where the necessary infrastructures are in place," Mayor Healy-Rae insisted.
"We must at all times be awareof the effect of largescale development on the facilities necessary to maintain a vibrant community, we must at all times seek to maintain the necessary infrastructure that make up a community, access to schools, shops and recreational areas," he added.
"As a democratically elected representative of the people I am telling Minster Gormley to keep his hands off the powers of local authorities and the elected councillors."
Mary Murphy
The Kingdom
www.buckplanning.ie
New planning guidelines could lead to development explosion in Athlone
NEW planning guidelines, currently being drafted by the Department of the Environment, could lead to a development explosion in Athlone and other Gateway towns.
The guidelines, which are due to be published by Environment Minister John Gormley later this month, are thought to advise that higher densities are 'appropriate' in towns and villages close to Gateway towns. This could see the current trend of large developments springing up in South Roscommon continue in the future and may also result in a population explosion on the Leinster side to town.
And while the Minister's guidelines will address over development in most villages, villages near Athlone such as Glasson, Ballykeeran, Baylin and Mount Temple, could see a major increase in development due to their proximity to the gateway town of
Athlone.
In general the Minister plans to discourage overdevelopment in villages and the new guidelines will only allow developers to build an additional 10 to 12 houses in villages that have fewer than 400 people.
In addition planning authorities will be told not to increase the number of houses in towns with a population of up to 5,000 by more than 10 to 15 per cent over the lifetime of a seven-year development plan.
The Minister's reasoning behind these guidelines is that planning permission for greater numbers would "usually be difficult or inappropriate due to an absence of a sufficiently developed urban structure to cater for the development and should therefore be discouraged".
Currently, local authorities and An Bord Pleanala must abide by the Department's guidelines when dealing with county development plans, but councillors have had the freedom to make adjustments with local area plans. However, it is understood Minister Gormley plans to change legislation so that councillors will have to adhere to the national planning standards in the future.
The guidelines will advise councils to build first on derelict or vacant sites, while development on greenfield sites in or near the existing centres should encourage residents to walk and cycle rather than drive.
Minister Gormley is also suggesting blocking developers from building estates 'at some remove' from existing urban areas as this 'militates against proper planning' and causes problems with the lack of street lighting, footpaths and other services.
Karen Downey
Westmeath Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
The guidelines, which are due to be published by Environment Minister John Gormley later this month, are thought to advise that higher densities are 'appropriate' in towns and villages close to Gateway towns. This could see the current trend of large developments springing up in South Roscommon continue in the future and may also result in a population explosion on the Leinster side to town.
And while the Minister's guidelines will address over development in most villages, villages near Athlone such as Glasson, Ballykeeran, Baylin and Mount Temple, could see a major increase in development due to their proximity to the gateway town of
Athlone.
In general the Minister plans to discourage overdevelopment in villages and the new guidelines will only allow developers to build an additional 10 to 12 houses in villages that have fewer than 400 people.
In addition planning authorities will be told not to increase the number of houses in towns with a population of up to 5,000 by more than 10 to 15 per cent over the lifetime of a seven-year development plan.
The Minister's reasoning behind these guidelines is that planning permission for greater numbers would "usually be difficult or inappropriate due to an absence of a sufficiently developed urban structure to cater for the development and should therefore be discouraged".
Currently, local authorities and An Bord Pleanala must abide by the Department's guidelines when dealing with county development plans, but councillors have had the freedom to make adjustments with local area plans. However, it is understood Minister Gormley plans to change legislation so that councillors will have to adhere to the national planning standards in the future.
The guidelines will advise councils to build first on derelict or vacant sites, while development on greenfield sites in or near the existing centres should encourage residents to walk and cycle rather than drive.
Minister Gormley is also suggesting blocking developers from building estates 'at some remove' from existing urban areas as this 'militates against proper planning' and causes problems with the lack of street lighting, footpaths and other services.
Karen Downey
Westmeath Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Politicians angry as An Bord Pleanála turns down Kilkenny Tesco
Politicians in Kilkenny have reacted with dismay to a decision by An Bord Pleanála to refuse planning permission for a Tesco store in the county.
They say the store would have created up to 200 jobs and pumped "millions of euro" in wages into the local economy. The decision means Kilkenny will remain the only county in Ireland without a branch of the British supermarket chain which operates 96 shops throughout the other 25 counties in the Republic.
Kilkenny County Council had already approved the rezoning of land and granted planning permission for the store in the town of Callan close to the Tipperary border. The application was submitted by the landowner, Richard Holden, and envisaged a retail outlet of some 26,000 sq ft and car parking for 243 cars. But objections from the owners of the town's existing Super-Valu supermarket and one local resident were lodged with An Bord Pleanála.
The board yesterday said it had refused permission because the proposed development "on an important site at the entry to Callan" would be "contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area"; would "seriously injure the visual amenities of the area"; and, would "seriously injure the amenities of adjoining residential properties".
However, the chairman of Kilkenny County Council, Cllr Tom Maher (FG) said he was "extremely disappointed" and claimed the "vast majority of people" want the store. Apart from "up to 120 permanent jobs", he said the project would have created "up to 60 temporary construction jobs".
He added that shoppers were forced to travel "at great inconvenience" to Tesco stores in neighbouring counties and would "continue to do so" to the detriment of Kilkenny's economy.
Cllr Matt Doran (FF) was "absolutely disgusted and hugely disappointed" that the town would lose out on the estimated €2.5 million in annual wages which would have been paid. He deplored a decision made by "a body of people [ An Bord Pleanála] from outside of the area who have no idea about the social and economic issues involved".
He said "Callan needs a store like Tesco in order to survive". Mr Doran called on people "to lobby the media, public representatives and Tesco" to ensure that the company did not give up on the town.
Séamus Banim, a spokesman for Tesco Ireland, said the company would not comment until it had an opportunity to review the decision. The company claims its activities are worth an annual €2.5 billion to the economy.
Tesco employs over 13,000 people in Ireland and provides a further "10,000 jobs in supplier firms" and "4,000 plus jobs are supported directly by exports of Irish products".
Michael Parsons
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
They say the store would have created up to 200 jobs and pumped "millions of euro" in wages into the local economy. The decision means Kilkenny will remain the only county in Ireland without a branch of the British supermarket chain which operates 96 shops throughout the other 25 counties in the Republic.
Kilkenny County Council had already approved the rezoning of land and granted planning permission for the store in the town of Callan close to the Tipperary border. The application was submitted by the landowner, Richard Holden, and envisaged a retail outlet of some 26,000 sq ft and car parking for 243 cars. But objections from the owners of the town's existing Super-Valu supermarket and one local resident were lodged with An Bord Pleanála.
The board yesterday said it had refused permission because the proposed development "on an important site at the entry to Callan" would be "contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area"; would "seriously injure the visual amenities of the area"; and, would "seriously injure the amenities of adjoining residential properties".
However, the chairman of Kilkenny County Council, Cllr Tom Maher (FG) said he was "extremely disappointed" and claimed the "vast majority of people" want the store. Apart from "up to 120 permanent jobs", he said the project would have created "up to 60 temporary construction jobs".
He added that shoppers were forced to travel "at great inconvenience" to Tesco stores in neighbouring counties and would "continue to do so" to the detriment of Kilkenny's economy.
Cllr Matt Doran (FF) was "absolutely disgusted and hugely disappointed" that the town would lose out on the estimated €2.5 million in annual wages which would have been paid. He deplored a decision made by "a body of people [ An Bord Pleanála] from outside of the area who have no idea about the social and economic issues involved".
He said "Callan needs a store like Tesco in order to survive". Mr Doran called on people "to lobby the media, public representatives and Tesco" to ensure that the company did not give up on the town.
Séamus Banim, a spokesman for Tesco Ireland, said the company would not comment until it had an opportunity to review the decision. The company claims its activities are worth an annual €2.5 billion to the economy.
Tesco employs over 13,000 people in Ireland and provides a further "10,000 jobs in supplier firms" and "4,000 plus jobs are supported directly by exports of Irish products".
Michael Parsons
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Plan to return red deer to Burren criticised
A proposal to reintroduce red deer into the Burren in a bid to halt the spread of scrub was yesterday dismissed by the chairman of Burren IFA.
In his proposal, Burren expert Gordon D'Arcy said the proposal has obvious conservation advantages and the benefits to the local economy would undoubtedly be significant. "Essentially a woodland species, the red deer would browse the hazel shoots and bark, thus greatly restricting the spread of the scrub."
The spread of scrub is seen by many as a threat to the heritage of the Burren. "Of course, there could be problems as there inevitably are with reintroductions, but careful planning and a programme of consultation with the landowners would help to minimise these," said Mr D'Arcy, who is the author of The Natural History of the Burren.
"The winterage farmers, protective of their precious upland grazing, have been at war with the expanding goat herds. Not only do the goats exploit the easily accessed upland grazing at the expense of the cattle, but they have a reputation for knocking down the dry stone walls, thus exacerbating the problem.
"Would not red deer do the same? Possibly, but to a much lesser extent, in my view."
In the current edition of Heritage Outlook, Mr D'Arcy said the reintroduction of the red deer has historical legitimacy.
"Archaeological and literary evidence shows that red deer was an important long-standing member of the Burren's native fauna, probably since early post-glacial times.
"Detractors will, of course, raise the issue of control. How do you keep such a large independent animal where you want it? Obviously, ring-fencing the Burren with deer fence would be prohibitively expensive and aesthetically undesirable. Though I am not offering a solution to this very real problem, it is my belief that deer would tend to stay where the food is, ie in the scrub."
Mr D'Arcy admits it would be necessary to cull the deer, however.
Meanwhile, Burren IFA chairman Michael Davoren said yesterday: "Red deer has never been part of controlling the spread of hazel in the past in the Burren and we don't see how they can have a role like that in the future."
Mr Davoren said the Burren Life project is the place to put such ideas. "Farmers will not entertain ideas without proper scientific research and we are long enough living on the tales of myths and legends." He said interim evidence from the five-year Burren Life project has proven that farming the Burren properly through the old system will hold the Burren as it is and, coupled with proper grazing, will bring it back to its former glory.
Gordon Deegan
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
In his proposal, Burren expert Gordon D'Arcy said the proposal has obvious conservation advantages and the benefits to the local economy would undoubtedly be significant. "Essentially a woodland species, the red deer would browse the hazel shoots and bark, thus greatly restricting the spread of the scrub."
The spread of scrub is seen by many as a threat to the heritage of the Burren. "Of course, there could be problems as there inevitably are with reintroductions, but careful planning and a programme of consultation with the landowners would help to minimise these," said Mr D'Arcy, who is the author of The Natural History of the Burren.
"The winterage farmers, protective of their precious upland grazing, have been at war with the expanding goat herds. Not only do the goats exploit the easily accessed upland grazing at the expense of the cattle, but they have a reputation for knocking down the dry stone walls, thus exacerbating the problem.
"Would not red deer do the same? Possibly, but to a much lesser extent, in my view."
In the current edition of Heritage Outlook, Mr D'Arcy said the reintroduction of the red deer has historical legitimacy.
"Archaeological and literary evidence shows that red deer was an important long-standing member of the Burren's native fauna, probably since early post-glacial times.
"Detractors will, of course, raise the issue of control. How do you keep such a large independent animal where you want it? Obviously, ring-fencing the Burren with deer fence would be prohibitively expensive and aesthetically undesirable. Though I am not offering a solution to this very real problem, it is my belief that deer would tend to stay where the food is, ie in the scrub."
Mr D'Arcy admits it would be necessary to cull the deer, however.
Meanwhile, Burren IFA chairman Michael Davoren said yesterday: "Red deer has never been part of controlling the spread of hazel in the past in the Burren and we don't see how they can have a role like that in the future."
Mr Davoren said the Burren Life project is the place to put such ideas. "Farmers will not entertain ideas without proper scientific research and we are long enough living on the tales of myths and legends." He said interim evidence from the five-year Burren Life project has proven that farming the Burren properly through the old system will hold the Burren as it is and, coupled with proper grazing, will bring it back to its former glory.
Gordon Deegan
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Online waste exchange set to curb landfill use
Environment Minister John Gormley will launch a free online service this morning which allows householders to swap and reuse unwanted items which would otherwise be landfilled.
It is hoped the free Waste Matchers initiative, based in Macroom, Co Cork, will divert tonnes of material from dumps across the city and county.
The website is a joint venture between Cork County Council's Environmental Awareness and Research Unit, Cork City Council, the South Cork Enterprise Board and Macroom E Ltd.
They established an online waste exchange programme aimed at businesses on a pilot basis more than a year ago and almost 470 businesses signed up.
They advertised unwanted items like wooden pallets, office furniture, cardboard boxes, and a vast range of technological equipment which were poised to go to the dump.
Other businesses were able to find uses for these items.
Macroom E manager Maeve Bowen said a food company based in Kerry even advertised egg whites, while another business advertised tonnes of horse manure.
Alternative uses were found for all the items, she said.
The success of the business element prompted the partners to set up a section aimed at housesholds.
This section, which will be launched this morning, provides an online database for members of the public to post their unwanted materials online.
Items can range from motor parts to musical instruments, pottery to pet goods, and garden furniture to electronic equipment.
Browsers can then log on and search for these unwanted items and find another use for them.
The website is free and household items are offered free of charge to others.
"Users of the website are helping to protect their local environment and saving money by getting useful goods," said Ms Bowen.
The website will be managed by a team based in the Macroom E business centre based in the Macroom E Environmental Industrial Park in Co Cork.
The park encourages eco-friendly companies to locate in Macroom, generating industry and employment in the Lee Valley region.
www.wastematchers.com
Eoin English
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
It is hoped the free Waste Matchers initiative, based in Macroom, Co Cork, will divert tonnes of material from dumps across the city and county.
The website is a joint venture between Cork County Council's Environmental Awareness and Research Unit, Cork City Council, the South Cork Enterprise Board and Macroom E Ltd.
They established an online waste exchange programme aimed at businesses on a pilot basis more than a year ago and almost 470 businesses signed up.
They advertised unwanted items like wooden pallets, office furniture, cardboard boxes, and a vast range of technological equipment which were poised to go to the dump.
Other businesses were able to find uses for these items.
Macroom E manager Maeve Bowen said a food company based in Kerry even advertised egg whites, while another business advertised tonnes of horse manure.
Alternative uses were found for all the items, she said.
The success of the business element prompted the partners to set up a section aimed at housesholds.
This section, which will be launched this morning, provides an online database for members of the public to post their unwanted materials online.
Items can range from motor parts to musical instruments, pottery to pet goods, and garden furniture to electronic equipment.
Browsers can then log on and search for these unwanted items and find another use for them.
The website is free and household items are offered free of charge to others.
"Users of the website are helping to protect their local environment and saving money by getting useful goods," said Ms Bowen.
The website will be managed by a team based in the Macroom E business centre based in the Macroom E Environmental Industrial Park in Co Cork.
The park encourages eco-friendly companies to locate in Macroom, generating industry and employment in the Lee Valley region.
www.wastematchers.com
Eoin English
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
Wednesday, 9 January 2008
New oral hearing over incinerator, says FG
The Poolbeg incinerator, which was granted planning permission last year, is to be subjected to a fresh oral hearing by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), according to Fine Gael.
Fine Gael TD for Dublin South East Lucinda Creighton said she was informed by the EPA yesterday evening that its board had made the decision to conduct an oral hearing and would be informing the parties concerned in writing today.
The EPA said it had received 14 valid objections and eight requests for an oral hearing.
A date for any hearing has yet to be confirmed.
However, if the EPA decided not to grant a waste licence to the facility, following a hearing, the proposed incinerator could not go ahead despite having secured permission from An Bord Pleanála.
The incinerator, which would be Dublin's first municipal waste incinerator and one of the largest in Europe, was granted planning permission by An Bord Pleanála last November following a lengthy oral hearing.
Within days of the Bord Pleanála decision, the EPA announced its intention to grant a waste licence to Dublin City Council to operate the facility.
A 28-day period of statutory public consultation on the proposal ensued during which the EPA received the requests for an oral hearing from several residents' groups and local politicians.
Minister for the Environment John Gormley, before his appointment, objected to the potential granting of a licence in a letter dated October 5th, 2006.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Fine Gael TD for Dublin South East Lucinda Creighton said she was informed by the EPA yesterday evening that its board had made the decision to conduct an oral hearing and would be informing the parties concerned in writing today.
The EPA said it had received 14 valid objections and eight requests for an oral hearing.
A date for any hearing has yet to be confirmed.
However, if the EPA decided not to grant a waste licence to the facility, following a hearing, the proposed incinerator could not go ahead despite having secured permission from An Bord Pleanála.
The incinerator, which would be Dublin's first municipal waste incinerator and one of the largest in Europe, was granted planning permission by An Bord Pleanála last November following a lengthy oral hearing.
Within days of the Bord Pleanála decision, the EPA announced its intention to grant a waste licence to Dublin City Council to operate the facility.
A 28-day period of statutory public consultation on the proposal ensued during which the EPA received the requests for an oral hearing from several residents' groups and local politicians.
Minister for the Environment John Gormley, before his appointment, objected to the potential granting of a licence in a letter dated October 5th, 2006.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Protests at M3 construction on Lismullin site
Protest meetings were held in Dublin and outside Irish consulates in the US yesterday against last month's handover of the national monument site at Lismullin, Co Meath, to the company building the M3 motorway.
TaraWatch, the group campaigning against the construction of the M3 motorway close to the Hill of Tara, has said that the Department of the Environment had not been due to hand over the site to Siac until yesterday but had moved the date forward to December 18th. Significant damage had been done to the site since, the group said.
Campaign spokesman Vincent Salafia yesterday called on Minister for the Environment John Gormley to explain why the handover took place early and with no prior notice.
The group also called on Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to intervene and halt the work at Lismullin.
A rally was held yesterday outside the Garden of Remembrance in Dublin. Demonstrations also took place at Stormont, as well as at Irish consulate offices in New York, Chicago and San Francisco and at the Lismullin site. Further protests will be held, TaraWatch has said.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
TaraWatch, the group campaigning against the construction of the M3 motorway close to the Hill of Tara, has said that the Department of the Environment had not been due to hand over the site to Siac until yesterday but had moved the date forward to December 18th. Significant damage had been done to the site since, the group said.
Campaign spokesman Vincent Salafia yesterday called on Minister for the Environment John Gormley to explain why the handover took place early and with no prior notice.
The group also called on Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to intervene and halt the work at Lismullin.
A rally was held yesterday outside the Garden of Remembrance in Dublin. Demonstrations also took place at Stormont, as well as at Irish consulate offices in New York, Chicago and San Francisco and at the Lismullin site. Further protests will be held, TaraWatch has said.
The Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Water scheme crisis halts development in Kenmare
THE need for adequate water and sewerage schemes in Kenmare has been highlighted by a decision of An Bord Pleanála to refuse planning permission for a 14-house development in the fast-growing tourist town, it emerged yesterday.
A halt has been put to any further development in the town until water and sewerage services are upgraded.
According to An Bord Pleanála inspector Robert Ryan, there is “virtually no capacity whatsoever” in relation to these services.
“To continue granting permission in the absence of such capacity is only likely to create major problems similar to that which has occurred elsewhere,” he pointed out.
Mr Ryan said even though the 14-house scheme proposed by local developers Tinal Electrial Ltd was relatively small, it would be premature due to the lack of infrastructural services in the area.
An Bord Pleanála accepted the inspector’s recommendations to refuse planning, stating it would be prejudicial to public health.
Kerry County Council, which had already turned down a planning application for the houses, is due to start work on a new €12 million water scheme in Kenmare this year.
The current water scheme has been in place for more than 50 years and a new scheme is necessary if Kenmare is to develop, according to council engineers.
The council also has plans to upgrade the town’s sewerage scheme.
Kenmare has seen rapid expansion since the 1990s, with upwards of 1,000 houses either being built, or being planned, for the town and its environs. This includes a large number of holiday homes.
Last year, Bord Pleanála turned down planning for a multi-million euro Peninsula development, in Kenmare, which included 300 residential units, a 3,400 sq metre shopping complex and a 260-space car park.
Almost 150 objections were lodged against the proposal which would have fronted onto Henry Street, in the heart of the town.
Traffic congestion and an inadequate water supply in Kenmare were among the chief reasons for the refusal.
Meanwhile, all development in Kenmare has been effectively put on hold by the council until the new water scheme is provided from the River Sheen.
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
A halt has been put to any further development in the town until water and sewerage services are upgraded.
According to An Bord Pleanála inspector Robert Ryan, there is “virtually no capacity whatsoever” in relation to these services.
“To continue granting permission in the absence of such capacity is only likely to create major problems similar to that which has occurred elsewhere,” he pointed out.
Mr Ryan said even though the 14-house scheme proposed by local developers Tinal Electrial Ltd was relatively small, it would be premature due to the lack of infrastructural services in the area.
An Bord Pleanála accepted the inspector’s recommendations to refuse planning, stating it would be prejudicial to public health.
Kerry County Council, which had already turned down a planning application for the houses, is due to start work on a new €12 million water scheme in Kenmare this year.
The current water scheme has been in place for more than 50 years and a new scheme is necessary if Kenmare is to develop, according to council engineers.
The council also has plans to upgrade the town’s sewerage scheme.
Kenmare has seen rapid expansion since the 1990s, with upwards of 1,000 houses either being built, or being planned, for the town and its environs. This includes a large number of holiday homes.
Last year, Bord Pleanála turned down planning for a multi-million euro Peninsula development, in Kenmare, which included 300 residential units, a 3,400 sq metre shopping complex and a 260-space car park.
Almost 150 objections were lodged against the proposal which would have fronted onto Henry Street, in the heart of the town.
Traffic congestion and an inadequate water supply in Kenmare were among the chief reasons for the refusal.
Meanwhile, all development in Kenmare has been effectively put on hold by the council until the new water scheme is provided from the River Sheen.
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
Monday, 7 January 2008
Capital ideas for a city are long neglected
WE'VE never been much use at longterm planning in this country. The examples, as this column has pointed out before, are endless: a chronic overdependence on Dublin; regional urban centres hardly worthy of being described as cities; a countryside blighted by ribbon development and one-off housing; the busiest motorway in the country, built without spaghetti junctions and used as an access road for shopping centres; quality bus corridors and metro lines that take years to introduce; advance factories in every town in the country etc, etc.
But next month offers a chance to begin to change that. Dublin City Council is set to reveal its new strategy document that will govern the future of high-rise and high-density development in the capital city. The title of the plan . . . Maximising the City's Potential: A Strategy for Height and Intensification . . . certainly isn't catchy, but it will impact enormously on the lives of every one of Dublin's one million-plus inhabitants. It represents an opportunity for us to finally embrace the concept of a city and all that it should entail . . . centralised services, excellent public transport and a genuine urban landscape.
It would be churlish not to point out that Dublin has improved beyond belief over the past 20 years. It's not that long ago that the city was so blighted by derelict sites that special legislation had to be introduced to tackle the problem. And you don't have to be that old to remember the days when it wasn't safe to walk down the quays after dark or when people said the Jurys Hotels Group was crazy to build a new hotel at Christchurch, just a few hundred yards from Trinity College, because it was too dangerous an area.
While much of the development in the meantime has been humdrum . . . those dreary, unimaginative and pastiche apartment blocks built in the early 1990s being the most obvious example . . . some of the urban regeneration has been genuinely inspiring. The IFSC and the uber-contemporary Grand Canal Docks are just two examples. But despite all the improvements, Dublin essentially still resembles a US sunbelt city (without the sun). Its population is sprawled across an area three or four times that of a European city with a comparable population.
This lack of population density directly results in bad public transport, traffic gridlock, high CO 2emissions, bad services and reduced quality of life.
And, while people in many cases are forced to buy homes well over 50 miles from their workplace in Dublin, huge tranches of land well within the M50 remain undeveloped. Taking a train journey from Connolly Station across Dublin's northside to Maynooth, it's startling to see how much brownfield and greenfield land there is . . . a shocking waste of prime land right beside a commuter rail line.
The land around and including Dublin Port on the Poolbeg peninsula is another stark example of a waste of hugely valuable resources. Just a couple of miles from the city centre, it should be a spectacular Sydney Harbour-style development that is home to tens of thousands of people living in high density and well-serviced accommodation. Instead, it is home to a working port that could so easily be relocated to north county Dublin and a planned incinerator that would be much better located elsewhere.
We don't know what exactly will be in Dublin City Council's plan. It won't be perfect. Nor will it be a panacea for all the city's problems, and it certainly won't turn the capital into a high-density city overnight. However, it will represent a definite step in the right direction. It will not, as the city manager has made clear, result in "Manhattan in Dublin". But it will earmark certain areas that are suitable for high-rise and landmark building and higher-density development.
Despite the absolute logic of the need to develop a higher-density capital city, expect the plan's implementation to be vociferously resisted in many areas. Some politicians will inevitably take the lead in opposing high-density development, looking to reap a 'nimby' harvest in next year's local elections.
Obviously, not all new development proposals are good and in keeping with the areas around them . . . vigilance is certainly required. Nor are they all bad, and it is time we started to question those councillors and politicians who routinely oppose the most modest developments in well-serviced areas close to the city centre and adjacent to public transport. There are numerous examples of councillors opposing the development of what are effectively wasteland sites which serve only as a magnet for antisocial activity; bizarrely, that seems to be preferable to new apartment developments.
Councillors and other politicians have a responsibility to ensure a vibrant and sustainable city. If they are opposed to higher densities (and high density doesn't have to mean high-rise), then they should be asked to explain what their alternative is. They should be asked if they are happy to stand over the results of lower-density urban areas . . . young couples being forced to buy houses in unserviced housing estates far away from their place of work and bad public transport.
They should be asked not only because these are vital questions, but also because they simply won't have answers. And those of us who live in Dublin and who have a vote in next year's local elections need to ask ourselves what type of city we want. Do we want a smaller (and colder) LA or Phoenix or would we prefer a model closer to Amsterdam or Copenhagen? The future's not just down to Dublin City Council.
Sunday Tribune
www.buckplanning.ie
But next month offers a chance to begin to change that. Dublin City Council is set to reveal its new strategy document that will govern the future of high-rise and high-density development in the capital city. The title of the plan . . . Maximising the City's Potential: A Strategy for Height and Intensification . . . certainly isn't catchy, but it will impact enormously on the lives of every one of Dublin's one million-plus inhabitants. It represents an opportunity for us to finally embrace the concept of a city and all that it should entail . . . centralised services, excellent public transport and a genuine urban landscape.
It would be churlish not to point out that Dublin has improved beyond belief over the past 20 years. It's not that long ago that the city was so blighted by derelict sites that special legislation had to be introduced to tackle the problem. And you don't have to be that old to remember the days when it wasn't safe to walk down the quays after dark or when people said the Jurys Hotels Group was crazy to build a new hotel at Christchurch, just a few hundred yards from Trinity College, because it was too dangerous an area.
While much of the development in the meantime has been humdrum . . . those dreary, unimaginative and pastiche apartment blocks built in the early 1990s being the most obvious example . . . some of the urban regeneration has been genuinely inspiring. The IFSC and the uber-contemporary Grand Canal Docks are just two examples. But despite all the improvements, Dublin essentially still resembles a US sunbelt city (without the sun). Its population is sprawled across an area three or four times that of a European city with a comparable population.
This lack of population density directly results in bad public transport, traffic gridlock, high CO 2emissions, bad services and reduced quality of life.
And, while people in many cases are forced to buy homes well over 50 miles from their workplace in Dublin, huge tranches of land well within the M50 remain undeveloped. Taking a train journey from Connolly Station across Dublin's northside to Maynooth, it's startling to see how much brownfield and greenfield land there is . . . a shocking waste of prime land right beside a commuter rail line.
The land around and including Dublin Port on the Poolbeg peninsula is another stark example of a waste of hugely valuable resources. Just a couple of miles from the city centre, it should be a spectacular Sydney Harbour-style development that is home to tens of thousands of people living in high density and well-serviced accommodation. Instead, it is home to a working port that could so easily be relocated to north county Dublin and a planned incinerator that would be much better located elsewhere.
We don't know what exactly will be in Dublin City Council's plan. It won't be perfect. Nor will it be a panacea for all the city's problems, and it certainly won't turn the capital into a high-density city overnight. However, it will represent a definite step in the right direction. It will not, as the city manager has made clear, result in "Manhattan in Dublin". But it will earmark certain areas that are suitable for high-rise and landmark building and higher-density development.
Despite the absolute logic of the need to develop a higher-density capital city, expect the plan's implementation to be vociferously resisted in many areas. Some politicians will inevitably take the lead in opposing high-density development, looking to reap a 'nimby' harvest in next year's local elections.
Obviously, not all new development proposals are good and in keeping with the areas around them . . . vigilance is certainly required. Nor are they all bad, and it is time we started to question those councillors and politicians who routinely oppose the most modest developments in well-serviced areas close to the city centre and adjacent to public transport. There are numerous examples of councillors opposing the development of what are effectively wasteland sites which serve only as a magnet for antisocial activity; bizarrely, that seems to be preferable to new apartment developments.
Councillors and other politicians have a responsibility to ensure a vibrant and sustainable city. If they are opposed to higher densities (and high density doesn't have to mean high-rise), then they should be asked to explain what their alternative is. They should be asked if they are happy to stand over the results of lower-density urban areas . . . young couples being forced to buy houses in unserviced housing estates far away from their place of work and bad public transport.
They should be asked not only because these are vital questions, but also because they simply won't have answers. And those of us who live in Dublin and who have a vote in next year's local elections need to ask ourselves what type of city we want. Do we want a smaller (and colder) LA or Phoenix or would we prefer a model closer to Amsterdam or Copenhagen? The future's not just down to Dublin City Council.
Sunday Tribune
www.buckplanning.ie
Building slowdown to hit councils
The building slowdown threatens to hit a key source of local government funding that was worth almost €700 million to the Republic's city and county councils in 2006, writes Barry O'Halloran .
The State's local authorities will see a fall in the level of development contributions collected from builders as the residential construction slowdown worsens over the next year.
Planning laws oblige developers to pay the contributions to councils, who use them to fund general services in the areas under their charge.
Local authorities collected a record €671 million in development contributions when house building reached an all-time peak of 88,000 new homes in 2006.
However, most analysts and economists agree that the number of new houses built in the Republic this year will be around half the 2006 high.
As house building accounted for around two thirds of all development in the Republic in 2006, the fall off will wipe out a high proportion of the cash collected from builders.
Most of the development contribution schemes operated by councils require builders to pay a set fee for each house or apartment they build.
The Construction Industry Federation says these can range between €7,000 and €15,000 for each home.
While planning legislation requires councils to earmark the money for public infrastructure, they are not obliged to spend the cash collected in respect of a given housing scheme on providing services for that development.
According to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the cash can be used for general services such as roads and road maintenance, car parks, bus lanes, drainage and waste water schemes, and a whole range of other infrastructure. Department figures show that the total development contributions collected by local authorities grew to €671 million in 2006 from €110 million in 2000.
As it is estimated that around 70,000 homes were built in the Republic last year, the return from the charge is expected to be strong.
As the levy is directly related to development activity, urban councils, or those whose jurisdictions bordered on big towns and cities, benefited the most in 2006.
Fingal County Council in Dublin collected the highest amount, getting €72.5 million from developers. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council came second with €62 million, while Cork County Council came third with €57.3 million.
Further evidence of the residential building slowdown emerged at the weekend with the news that new home registrations with construction guarantee agency Homebond, hit a record low of 925 in December.
The Irish Times
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
The State's local authorities will see a fall in the level of development contributions collected from builders as the residential construction slowdown worsens over the next year.
Planning laws oblige developers to pay the contributions to councils, who use them to fund general services in the areas under their charge.
Local authorities collected a record €671 million in development contributions when house building reached an all-time peak of 88,000 new homes in 2006.
However, most analysts and economists agree that the number of new houses built in the Republic this year will be around half the 2006 high.
As house building accounted for around two thirds of all development in the Republic in 2006, the fall off will wipe out a high proportion of the cash collected from builders.
Most of the development contribution schemes operated by councils require builders to pay a set fee for each house or apartment they build.
The Construction Industry Federation says these can range between €7,000 and €15,000 for each home.
While planning legislation requires councils to earmark the money for public infrastructure, they are not obliged to spend the cash collected in respect of a given housing scheme on providing services for that development.
According to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the cash can be used for general services such as roads and road maintenance, car parks, bus lanes, drainage and waste water schemes, and a whole range of other infrastructure. Department figures show that the total development contributions collected by local authorities grew to €671 million in 2006 from €110 million in 2000.
As it is estimated that around 70,000 homes were built in the Republic last year, the return from the charge is expected to be strong.
As the levy is directly related to development activity, urban councils, or those whose jurisdictions bordered on big towns and cities, benefited the most in 2006.
Fingal County Council in Dublin collected the highest amount, getting €72.5 million from developers. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council came second with €62 million, while Cork County Council came third with €57.3 million.
Further evidence of the residential building slowdown emerged at the weekend with the news that new home registrations with construction guarantee agency Homebond, hit a record low of 925 in December.
The Irish Times
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Dublin Bus to be told to axe routes due to Luas double-up
The Government is poised to tell Dublin Bus it needs to "redeploy" some of its fleet after passengers have deserted the service in favour of the Luas.
Moving the bus routes is potentially the most controversial of nine issues the Department of Transport will "take up with" CIE in the coming weeks.
The bus company has lost millions of passengers since the introduction of the light rail system.
The issue is on a list, drawn up after a group of consultants examined whether the Government got "value for money" for the massive subsidies it pays to the CIE group.
Consultants Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) found that the €1.2bn in subventions, given to CIE between 2001 and 2005, largely represented value for money.
But BAH also expressed concern about several issues, including the fall-off in Dublin Bus passenger numbers following the introduction of the Luas, Dublin Bus's ability to fund its future needs, and cost levels across all three state transport companies.
Efficiency
The Government has now vowed to "take up" a list of specific issues with CIE, including the need to redeploy the bus fleet away from Luas lines, the level of subcontractor costs at Bus Eireann and the impact of bus garage locations on the efficiency of services.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Transport told the Irish Independent the issues "will all be formally taken up with CIE by the Department within weeks".
The Government's bid to secure value for money came as consumers were faced with a raft of price hikes on public transport this week.
The consultants found Dublin Bus had received almost €291m in government subventions over the five years, plus €79.64m in capital grants and €1.46m in EU money.
The bus company's performance over the period was constrained, however, by a increased congestion that hampered bus speeds and a lack of capital funding for fleet expansion, the consultants said.
Meanwhile, the introduction of the Luas also posed serious challenges for Dublin Bus, prompting annual patronage to fall three million (to 146 million) in 2005.
"By the end of the period, the annual operating surplus had not increase significantly," the consultants noted.
Funds
"Consequently, there is a concern as to whether Dublin Bus is accumulating sufficient funds for its future needs, the most urgent of which is fleet renewal and expansion."
A spokeswoman for Dublin Bus said the company knew the Luas was just one of the factors influencing fleet deployment.
"Dublin Bus passenger numbers have grown once again since 2005, and the company remains, by far, the largest public transport provider in the Dublin area," she added.
Private operators are working towards a 15pc share of the Dublin bus market, after a 2006 agreement gave private services access to all new routes until this threshold is reached.
By autumn 2007, however, just five private operators (Mortons, Aircoach, Executive Express, Dualway and Eirebus) were running Dublin Bus-style services in the Dublin area.
Laura Noonan
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Moving the bus routes is potentially the most controversial of nine issues the Department of Transport will "take up with" CIE in the coming weeks.
The bus company has lost millions of passengers since the introduction of the light rail system.
The issue is on a list, drawn up after a group of consultants examined whether the Government got "value for money" for the massive subsidies it pays to the CIE group.
Consultants Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) found that the €1.2bn in subventions, given to CIE between 2001 and 2005, largely represented value for money.
But BAH also expressed concern about several issues, including the fall-off in Dublin Bus passenger numbers following the introduction of the Luas, Dublin Bus's ability to fund its future needs, and cost levels across all three state transport companies.
Efficiency
The Government has now vowed to "take up" a list of specific issues with CIE, including the need to redeploy the bus fleet away from Luas lines, the level of subcontractor costs at Bus Eireann and the impact of bus garage locations on the efficiency of services.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Transport told the Irish Independent the issues "will all be formally taken up with CIE by the Department within weeks".
The Government's bid to secure value for money came as consumers were faced with a raft of price hikes on public transport this week.
The consultants found Dublin Bus had received almost €291m in government subventions over the five years, plus €79.64m in capital grants and €1.46m in EU money.
The bus company's performance over the period was constrained, however, by a increased congestion that hampered bus speeds and a lack of capital funding for fleet expansion, the consultants said.
Meanwhile, the introduction of the Luas also posed serious challenges for Dublin Bus, prompting annual patronage to fall three million (to 146 million) in 2005.
"By the end of the period, the annual operating surplus had not increase significantly," the consultants noted.
Funds
"Consequently, there is a concern as to whether Dublin Bus is accumulating sufficient funds for its future needs, the most urgent of which is fleet renewal and expansion."
A spokeswoman for Dublin Bus said the company knew the Luas was just one of the factors influencing fleet deployment.
"Dublin Bus passenger numbers have grown once again since 2005, and the company remains, by far, the largest public transport provider in the Dublin area," she added.
Private operators are working towards a 15pc share of the Dublin bus market, after a 2006 agreement gave private services access to all new routes until this threshold is reached.
By autumn 2007, however, just five private operators (Mortons, Aircoach, Executive Express, Dualway and Eirebus) were running Dublin Bus-style services in the Dublin area.
Laura Noonan
Irish Independent
www.buckplanning.ie
Sunday, 6 January 2008
Creche plans for Noble’s eco-house
CHARITY boss Christina Noble has abandoned plans to use a state-of-the-art eco-house in Dublin to replicate her work sheltering homeless young people in Asian slums.
Instead, Christina Noble Children’s Foundation has asked permission to turn the timber-frame home at the foothills of the Dublin Mountains into a creche.
When the house was originally given approval by South Dublin County Council four years ago it was intended to provide a halfway house for homeless teenagers.
However, since it was erected, the award-winning eco-house has sat idle on the site in Firhouse, Dublin 24.
Yesterday, charity spokesman John Goulding said despite managing to erect the home in just 15 days, protracted difficulties had held up the project and the foundation was looking forward to the “finish-line” with a different scheme in mind.
“As it turned out there was a significant need for childcare especially among disadvantaged families and this fits in very much with the local development plan and our work,” said Mr Goulding.
The house was donated by Century Homes, now Kingspan Century, after it was showcased at a building exhibition in the RDS in 2004.
Last year it won an award for its environmental design, which is largely self-heating and runs with virtually no utility bills.
The foundation was hoping to receive planning permission to change its intended use and carry out some structural modifications before Christmas.
However, South Dublin County Council said it was unhappy with the amount of information it received and asked the foundation to elaborate on its plans.
This file has now been submitted to the council and it is awaiting a response.
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
Instead, Christina Noble Children’s Foundation has asked permission to turn the timber-frame home at the foothills of the Dublin Mountains into a creche.
When the house was originally given approval by South Dublin County Council four years ago it was intended to provide a halfway house for homeless teenagers.
However, since it was erected, the award-winning eco-house has sat idle on the site in Firhouse, Dublin 24.
Yesterday, charity spokesman John Goulding said despite managing to erect the home in just 15 days, protracted difficulties had held up the project and the foundation was looking forward to the “finish-line” with a different scheme in mind.
“As it turned out there was a significant need for childcare especially among disadvantaged families and this fits in very much with the local development plan and our work,” said Mr Goulding.
The house was donated by Century Homes, now Kingspan Century, after it was showcased at a building exhibition in the RDS in 2004.
Last year it won an award for its environmental design, which is largely self-heating and runs with virtually no utility bills.
The foundation was hoping to receive planning permission to change its intended use and carry out some structural modifications before Christmas.
However, South Dublin County Council said it was unhappy with the amount of information it received and asked the foundation to elaborate on its plans.
This file has now been submitted to the council and it is awaiting a response.
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie