New planning laws should not just benefit multinationals, says IPAV

The Government’s plan to allow companies building data centres to bypass the local authority stage and apply directly to An Bord Pleanála is aiding major multinationals while leaving national developers at the mercy of the State’s “problematic” planning laws, a representative body for auctioneers has said. The Institute of Professional Auctioneers & Valuers (IPAV) is calling on the Government to amend planning laws so that objections to construction plans cannot be made by any person but only by those directly affected by the proposed project.

Read the full story @ The Irish Times

College Green plaza decision delayed to next April

A decision on whether a new €10 million civic plaza can be built in College Green will not be made until next April at the earliest, several months after Dublin City Council planned to start work on the scheme. The delay means the council will not be able to stop buses crossing College Green ahead of the start of operations of the new Cross City Luas line in December.

Read the story @ The Irish Times

‘Strategic infrastructure’ quick-step would not have saved Apple’s project

The Government’s response to the disaster that is the Apple/Athenry saga is to propose that, in future, data centres will be considered “strategic infrastructure” under planning laws. This will allow companies building data centres to skip the local authority stage, and proceed straight to An Bord Pleanála. Even if such a regime had been in place when Apple first sought planning, it would have made very little difference. It wasn’t a delay by Galway County Council that gave Apple the hump and jeopardised the project.

Read the full story @ The Irish Times

Permission granted for new bridge across Shannon in Athlone

A new bridge across the Shannon in Athlone is to be built after An Bord Pleanála granted planning permission. The planning board on Tuesday gave approval for the construction of the 104-metre pedestrian and cycleway bridge across the river between the Radisson Blu Hotel and the Luan Gallery in the town. The bridge will form part of the planned Dublin-Galway greenway and will take two years to construct.

Read the full story @ The Irish Times

Cork County Council accused of arrogance by residents opposed to motorway plans

The Government’s response to the disaster that is the Apple/Athenry saga is to propose that, in future, data centres will be considered “strategic infrastructure” under planning laws. This will allow companies building data centres to skip the local authority stage, and proceed straight to An Bord Pleanála. Even if such a regime had been in place when Apple first sought planning, it would have made very little difference. It wasn’t a delay by Galway County Council that gave Apple the hump and jeopardised the project.

Read the full story@ The Irish Times

Cork County Council has been accused of arrogance in its determination to push ahead with a €220 million upgrade of the N28 Cork to Ringaskiddy road rather than seriously look at alternative routes that would have less of an impact on residents, an oral hearing into the project has heard.

Domhnall MacDomhnaill of the Rochestown Rise Residents’ Association on Tuesday told the An Bord Pleanála oral hearing into the project that Cork County Council, as the applicant for planning permission, was ignoring its duty of care to residents in Rochestown, Douglas and surrounding areas.

Cork County Council has been accused of arrogance in its determination to push ahead with a €220 million upgrade of the N28 Cork to Ringaskiddy road rather than seriously look at alternative routes that would have less of an impact on residents, an oral hearing into the project has heard.

Domhnall MacDomhnaill of the Rochestown Rise Residents’ Association on Tuesday told the An Bord Pleanála oral hearing into the project that Cork County Council, as the applicant for planning permission, was ignoring its duty of care to residents in Rochestown, Douglas and surrounding areas.

Cork County Council has been accused of arrogance in its determination to push ahead with a €220 million upgrade of the N28 Cork to Ringaskiddy road rather than seriously look at alternative routes that would have less of an impact on residents, an oral hearing into the project has heard.

Domhnall MacDomhnaill of the Rochestown Rise Residents’ Association on Tuesday told the An Bord Pleanála oral hearing into the project that Cork County Council, as the applicant for planning permission, was ignoring its duty of care to residents in Rochestown, Douglas and surrounding areas.

Cork County Council has been accused of arrogance in its determination to push ahead with a €220 million upgrade of the N28 Cork to Ringaskiddy road rather than seriously look at alternative routes that would have less of an impact on residents, an oral hearing into the project has heard.

Domhnall MacDomhnaill of the Rochestown Rise Residents’ Association on Tuesday told the An Bord Pleanála oral hearing into the project that Cork County Council, as the applicant for planning permission, was ignoring its duty of care to residents in Rochestown, Douglas and surrounding areas.