VISITORS to Croke Park may soon enjoy the thrill of jumping off the stadium’s roof onto Hill 16 under plans being proposed by the GAA.
A sitting of An Bord Pleanála in Dublin heard yesterday that the construction of a roof walkway on Croke Park would create a "unique" tourist attraction which would allow 360-degree views of the city and many of its famous landmarks.
Under plans developed by the GAA, visitors on the proposed Croke Park Rooftop Tour will also be able to abseil or zipline from the 35m roof.
Croke Park stadium manager, Peter McKenna said the project would offer visitors "a thrill in a safe environment" and an "OMG experience".
However, representatives of local residents walked out of yesterday’s hearing in protest at the board’s refusal to adjourn the hearing after they had requested that the planning authority investigate alleged irregularities.
A residents group, the Croke Park Streets Committee, said it was withdrawing "under protest". The group’s spokesman, Eamonn O’Brien, said the hearing was being boycotted by all residents in protest at their treatment under the planning system.
However, Mr O’Brien declined to details the group’s complaint.
In the past, residents have expressed concern at how all 55 applications for planning permission made by Croke Park in recent years have been approved.
They have also criticised An Bord Pleanála for approving a handball and sports centre, despite a recommendation by the board’s inspector to refuse it planning permission.
The GAA estimates that the rooftop facility will attract between 8,000 and 19,000 visitors a year, with about one quarter of these taking the opportunity to abseil or zipline from the roof.
Permission for the project was granted with 13 conditions by Dublin City Council last April but is under appeal by residents.
Planning consultant Brendan Buck said the GAA was concerned that a condition stipulating opening hours for the roof should be 9am to 6pm was "unduly restrictive".
Mr Buck said it was hoped the facility would attract some of the estimated 89,000 people who visit the GAA museum in Croke Park each year.
He claimed the rooftop walkway would need at least 8,000 visitors per annum to make it viable.
There will be five viewing platforms, including a pitch-viewing cabin with a glass floor.
Mr Buck said concerns about visitors being able to overlook local schools and houses had been addressed by telescopes being fixed at certain angles.
He told the hearing that the project was "a tourism legacy for current and future generations".
Mr McKenna said Croke Part was a "must-see" facility, and that the project would add to Dublin’s attractiveness as a tourist destination and would provide six new full-time jobs and 10 part-time jobs, as well as 50 jobs during the construction stage.
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
Showing posts with label croke park. Show all posts
Showing posts with label croke park. Show all posts
Wednesday, 28 September 2011
GAA could add abseiling to thrills and spills of Croker
VISITORS to Croke Park may soon enjoy the thrill of jumping off the stadium’s roof onto Hill 16 under plans being proposed by the GAA.
A sitting of An Bord Pleanála in Dublin heard yesterday that the construction of a roof walkway on Croke Park would create a "unique" tourist attraction which would allow 360-degree views of the city and many of its famous landmarks.
Under plans developed by the GAA, visitors on the proposed Croke Park Rooftop Tour will also be able to abseil or zipline from the 35m roof.
Croke Park stadium manager, Peter McKenna said the project would offer visitors "a thrill in a safe environment" and an "OMG experience".
However, representatives of local residents walked out of yesterday’s hearing in protest at the board’s refusal to adjourn the hearing after they had requested that the planning authority investigate alleged irregularities.
A residents group, the Croke Park Streets Committee, said it was withdrawing "under protest". The group’s spokesman, Eamonn O’Brien, said the hearing was being boycotted by all residents in protest at their treatment under the planning system.
However, Mr O’Brien declined to details the group’s complaint.
In the past, residents have expressed concern at how all 55 applications for planning permission made by Croke Park in recent years have been approved.
They have also criticised An Bord Pleanála for approving a handball and sports centre, despite a recommendation by the board’s inspector to refuse it planning permission.
The GAA estimates that the rooftop facility will attract between 8,000 and 19,000 visitors a year, with about one quarter of these taking the opportunity to abseil or zipline from the roof.
Permission for the project was granted with 13 conditions by Dublin City Council last April but is under appeal by residents.
Planning consultant Brendan Buck said the GAA was concerned that a condition stipulating opening hours for the roof should be 9am to 6pm was "unduly restrictive".
Mr Buck said it was hoped the facility would attract some of the estimated 89,000 people who visit the GAA museum in Croke Park each year.
He claimed the rooftop walkway would need at least 8,000 visitors per annum to make it viable.
There will be five viewing platforms, including a pitch-viewing cabin with a glass floor.
Mr Buck said concerns about visitors being able to overlook local schools and houses had been addressed by telescopes being fixed at certain angles.
He told the hearing that the project was "a tourism legacy for current and future generations".
Mr McKenna said Croke Part was a "must-see" facility, and that the project would add to Dublin’s attractiveness as a tourist destination and would provide six new full-time jobs and 10 part-time jobs, as well as 50 jobs during the construction stage.
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
A sitting of An Bord Pleanála in Dublin heard yesterday that the construction of a roof walkway on Croke Park would create a "unique" tourist attraction which would allow 360-degree views of the city and many of its famous landmarks.
Under plans developed by the GAA, visitors on the proposed Croke Park Rooftop Tour will also be able to abseil or zipline from the 35m roof.
Croke Park stadium manager, Peter McKenna said the project would offer visitors "a thrill in a safe environment" and an "OMG experience".
However, representatives of local residents walked out of yesterday’s hearing in protest at the board’s refusal to adjourn the hearing after they had requested that the planning authority investigate alleged irregularities.
A residents group, the Croke Park Streets Committee, said it was withdrawing "under protest". The group’s spokesman, Eamonn O’Brien, said the hearing was being boycotted by all residents in protest at their treatment under the planning system.
However, Mr O’Brien declined to details the group’s complaint.
In the past, residents have expressed concern at how all 55 applications for planning permission made by Croke Park in recent years have been approved.
They have also criticised An Bord Pleanála for approving a handball and sports centre, despite a recommendation by the board’s inspector to refuse it planning permission.
The GAA estimates that the rooftop facility will attract between 8,000 and 19,000 visitors a year, with about one quarter of these taking the opportunity to abseil or zipline from the roof.
Permission for the project was granted with 13 conditions by Dublin City Council last April but is under appeal by residents.
Planning consultant Brendan Buck said the GAA was concerned that a condition stipulating opening hours for the roof should be 9am to 6pm was "unduly restrictive".
Mr Buck said it was hoped the facility would attract some of the estimated 89,000 people who visit the GAA museum in Croke Park each year.
He claimed the rooftop walkway would need at least 8,000 visitors per annum to make it viable.
There will be five viewing platforms, including a pitch-viewing cabin with a glass floor.
Mr Buck said concerns about visitors being able to overlook local schools and houses had been addressed by telescopes being fixed at certain angles.
He told the hearing that the project was "a tourism legacy for current and future generations".
Mr McKenna said Croke Part was a "must-see" facility, and that the project would add to Dublin’s attractiveness as a tourist destination and would provide six new full-time jobs and 10 part-time jobs, as well as 50 jobs during the construction stage.
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
Sunday, 14 August 2011
GAA accused of turning Croker into ‘adventure sports park’
THE GAA has been accused of trying to turn Croke Park into "an adventure sports park" after the sports organisation submitted plans which would allow visitors to engage in abseiling and ziplining off the roof of the stadium.
Visitors on the new rooftop tour of Croke Park would get the chance to abseil or zipline (which involves the use of an aerial ropeslide) down from the top of the Cusack Stand to the pitch.
However, plans for the Croke Park Rooftop Tour, which were first announced last year, have been put on hold as planning permission for the project, granted by Dublin City Council last April, has been appealed by local residents to Bord Pleanála.
Residents’ groups claim the GAA is trying to turn Croke Park into "an adventure sports park" as abseiling and ziplining are not GAA sports. They also complained that local people will suffer an invasion of privacy as visitors using the rooftop walkway will be able to gaze into their properties.
A Bord Pleanála hearing is due to be held next month, and will decide the fate of the ambitious project by the GAA to create a unique tourist attraction offering visitors a 360-degree panoramic view of Dublin.
According to plans submitted by the GAA, the rooftop tour will open 9am-6pm from April to October and will accommodate one public tour with a maximum of 30 people each day. It will also operate two group bookings in advance per day.
There will be five viewing platforms: two on the Cusack Stand, two on the Hogan Stand and one on the Davin Stand.
Visitors will be accompanied by two guides who will provide a historical briefing at each viewing point.
They must wear a safety harness attached to a fixed line which runs the length of the zig-zag roof walkway, starting from the Hogan Stand to halfway up the Cusack Stand. They will also be given a full safety briefing before the tour that will last approximately three hours.
The GAA said the aim of the rooftop tour was "to further enhance the Croke Park visitor’s experience" and make the stadium a "must-see" attraction.
One of the highlights will be a pitch-viewing cabin with reflective glass walls located in the Hogan Stand which the GAA claims will have a "high-impact" factor.
The GAA said it needed to attract 8,000 visitors each year to make the rooftop walk financially viable — a figure which equates to approximately 10% of the annual number of visitors for the general Croke Park tour.
The GAA originally declined to submit target attendance figures to Dublin City Council on the basis that they could be "criticised in the media for developing a facility which does not achieve targets".
It also expressed concern that visitor numbers in excess of its target figure could breach planning permission.
It is estimated that just 14 visitors per day would opt for the abseiling and ziplining.
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
Visitors on the new rooftop tour of Croke Park would get the chance to abseil or zipline (which involves the use of an aerial ropeslide) down from the top of the Cusack Stand to the pitch.
However, plans for the Croke Park Rooftop Tour, which were first announced last year, have been put on hold as planning permission for the project, granted by Dublin City Council last April, has been appealed by local residents to Bord Pleanála.
Residents’ groups claim the GAA is trying to turn Croke Park into "an adventure sports park" as abseiling and ziplining are not GAA sports. They also complained that local people will suffer an invasion of privacy as visitors using the rooftop walkway will be able to gaze into their properties.
A Bord Pleanála hearing is due to be held next month, and will decide the fate of the ambitious project by the GAA to create a unique tourist attraction offering visitors a 360-degree panoramic view of Dublin.
According to plans submitted by the GAA, the rooftop tour will open 9am-6pm from April to October and will accommodate one public tour with a maximum of 30 people each day. It will also operate two group bookings in advance per day.
There will be five viewing platforms: two on the Cusack Stand, two on the Hogan Stand and one on the Davin Stand.
Visitors will be accompanied by two guides who will provide a historical briefing at each viewing point.
They must wear a safety harness attached to a fixed line which runs the length of the zig-zag roof walkway, starting from the Hogan Stand to halfway up the Cusack Stand. They will also be given a full safety briefing before the tour that will last approximately three hours.
The GAA said the aim of the rooftop tour was "to further enhance the Croke Park visitor’s experience" and make the stadium a "must-see" attraction.
One of the highlights will be a pitch-viewing cabin with reflective glass walls located in the Hogan Stand which the GAA claims will have a "high-impact" factor.
The GAA said it needed to attract 8,000 visitors each year to make the rooftop walk financially viable — a figure which equates to approximately 10% of the annual number of visitors for the general Croke Park tour.
The GAA originally declined to submit target attendance figures to Dublin City Council on the basis that they could be "criticised in the media for developing a facility which does not achieve targets".
It also expressed concern that visitor numbers in excess of its target figure could breach planning permission.
It is estimated that just 14 visitors per day would opt for the abseiling and ziplining.
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
Tuesday, 17 February 2009
Council to revise Croke Park parking ban
DUBLIN CITY Council’s plans to ban match-goers from parking within two kilometres from Croke Park are to be revised following more than 100 objections to the proposed bylaws.
All non-residents were to be banned from parking within the 2km cordon during matches. Those who flouted the ban would risk having their vehicle clamped or removed and have to pay a fee for their release. Several TDs raised concerns about the ban, including former taoiseach Bertie Ahern who was worried that the parking restriction would stop people attending Mass.
Senior city council officials last September recommended the bylaws be scrapped following the predominantly negative reaction to the public consultation process.
However, councillors voted to defer a decision pending talks with the Croke Park authorities, the Department of Transport, public transport providers and the Garda.
The executive manager of the council’s traffic department Tim O’Sullivan has said that during these discussions it emerged that the issue of people not being able to attend Mass was a “red herring” because most services took place outside the proposed parking restriction hours, and in the case of services during the restriction, people would not get parking anyway because of match-goers taking all the spaces.
Objections raised in relation to access to pubs, restaurants and other businesses were also red herrings Mr O’Sullivan said, as again people cannot get parking anyway because of match-goers.
However, he said complaints in relation to displacement of the parking problem to areas just outside the cordon were valid and studies should be carried out in order to quantify this effect. The introduction of “park and ride” should also be investigated. The Garda re-iterated its opposition to the bylaws, Mr O’Sullivan said.
The council’s transport committee has decided the bylaws should be amended to reflect some of the concerns which emerged in the consultation process, and that a new draft be put out to public consultation. However, it is unlikely that new bylaws will be in place to deal with the parking problems which will occur during this year’s GAA season.
Fianna Fáil councillor Mary Fitzpatrick, who originally proposed the bylaws, said the response to the public consultation, including from those who objected on the grounds of parking displacement, showed how severe the parking problems associated with Croke Park were.
“This is a densely populated area with little or no off-street parking. The public consultation process served to underline the serious problems with traffic around Croke Park,” she said.
The current proposed cordon stretches north to Griffith Avenue, south to Talbot Street, Gardiner Street and Parnell Square, east to North Strand Road and west to Botanic Road.
Councillors and TDs, including Seán Haughey (FF), Richard Bruton (FG) and Finian McGrath (Ind) whose constituents lived just outside those areas said the parking problem would be transferred to areas on the cordon’s margins.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
All non-residents were to be banned from parking within the 2km cordon during matches. Those who flouted the ban would risk having their vehicle clamped or removed and have to pay a fee for their release. Several TDs raised concerns about the ban, including former taoiseach Bertie Ahern who was worried that the parking restriction would stop people attending Mass.
Senior city council officials last September recommended the bylaws be scrapped following the predominantly negative reaction to the public consultation process.
However, councillors voted to defer a decision pending talks with the Croke Park authorities, the Department of Transport, public transport providers and the Garda.
The executive manager of the council’s traffic department Tim O’Sullivan has said that during these discussions it emerged that the issue of people not being able to attend Mass was a “red herring” because most services took place outside the proposed parking restriction hours, and in the case of services during the restriction, people would not get parking anyway because of match-goers taking all the spaces.
Objections raised in relation to access to pubs, restaurants and other businesses were also red herrings Mr O’Sullivan said, as again people cannot get parking anyway because of match-goers.
However, he said complaints in relation to displacement of the parking problem to areas just outside the cordon were valid and studies should be carried out in order to quantify this effect. The introduction of “park and ride” should also be investigated. The Garda re-iterated its opposition to the bylaws, Mr O’Sullivan said.
The council’s transport committee has decided the bylaws should be amended to reflect some of the concerns which emerged in the consultation process, and that a new draft be put out to public consultation. However, it is unlikely that new bylaws will be in place to deal with the parking problems which will occur during this year’s GAA season.
Fianna Fáil councillor Mary Fitzpatrick, who originally proposed the bylaws, said the response to the public consultation, including from those who objected on the grounds of parking displacement, showed how severe the parking problems associated with Croke Park were.
“This is a densely populated area with little or no off-street parking. The public consultation process served to underline the serious problems with traffic around Croke Park,” she said.
The current proposed cordon stretches north to Griffith Avenue, south to Talbot Street, Gardiner Street and Parnell Square, east to North Strand Road and west to Botanic Road.
Councillors and TDs, including Seán Haughey (FF), Richard Bruton (FG) and Finian McGrath (Ind) whose constituents lived just outside those areas said the parking problem would be transferred to areas on the cordon’s margins.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Sunday, 10 August 2008
Railway station planned for Croker
A new railway station is being planned for Croke Park in Dublin. Iarnród Eireann is expected to have high-level discussions with the GAA to open the new railway station at the GAA headquarters.
It is anticipated that the GAA would make a significant contribution towards its development costs, given that the new station has the potential to deliver a large amount of fans to the stadium on match days.
Croke Park is situated adjacent to the Sligo railway line, which serves stations in Boyle, Carrick-on-Shannon, Mullingar, Enfield, Kilcock, Maynooth and Leixlip. A spur on the line serving Dunboyne and Navan is planned for completion in 2015. The line terminates in Connolly station in Dublin, which is in turn connected with the Wexford and Belfast lines.
However, the real benefit of the station will come with the construction of the planned rail interconnector between Heuston station and Pearse station in the city centre. This has the potential to allow Iarnród Eireann to deliver trains directly to Croke Park from locations such as Cork, Limerick, and Galway. The interconnector is scheduled for completion in 2015.
The main problem facing any plan for the new station is the logistical challenge of moving large numbers of fans on and off trains on match days. Croke Park has a maximum capacity of 82,500 people, and were a new station to prove viable it would have to be able to accommodate large numbers of matchgoers.
Sunday Business Post
www.buckplanning.ie
It is anticipated that the GAA would make a significant contribution towards its development costs, given that the new station has the potential to deliver a large amount of fans to the stadium on match days.
Croke Park is situated adjacent to the Sligo railway line, which serves stations in Boyle, Carrick-on-Shannon, Mullingar, Enfield, Kilcock, Maynooth and Leixlip. A spur on the line serving Dunboyne and Navan is planned for completion in 2015. The line terminates in Connolly station in Dublin, which is in turn connected with the Wexford and Belfast lines.
However, the real benefit of the station will come with the construction of the planned rail interconnector between Heuston station and Pearse station in the city centre. This has the potential to allow Iarnród Eireann to deliver trains directly to Croke Park from locations such as Cork, Limerick, and Galway. The interconnector is scheduled for completion in 2015.
The main problem facing any plan for the new station is the logistical challenge of moving large numbers of fans on and off trains on match days. Croke Park has a maximum capacity of 82,500 people, and were a new station to prove viable it would have to be able to accommodate large numbers of matchgoers.
Sunday Business Post
www.buckplanning.ie
Sunday, 3 August 2008
GAA talks with Dublin archdiocese over stadium
The GAA held talks with the Archdiocese of Dublin to discuss the possibility of acquiring land for a new stadium in the city.
It is believed that the talks related to a proposed 30,000-seater stadium which would accommodate sports and other entertainment events. The talks took place some months ago and may now have ground to a halt because of the economic slowdown.
The archdiocese is reviewing options for the development of its land in the Clonliffe Road area close to Croke Park. A spokeswoman said that no talks were taking place with the GAA, but would not comment on whether or not talks had taken place with the GAA in the past number of months.
‘‘There is an ongoing consultation process regarding the use of the grounds of Holy Cross College, Clonliffe, which has been under way for some time,” she said.
‘‘Any proposals will have to go through a rigorous process of consultation which would include the diocesan finance committee and the college of consulters.”
A spokesman for the GAA said that he wasn’t aware of such discussions and that he couldn’t find a record of such talks. ‘‘No proposals for any development of diocesan land have ever been approved by our management committee,” he said.
However, it is understood that talks took place at a preliminary level and that the potential of using the stadium for Dublin GAA games was explored. Dublin play at Parnell Park at present; the possibility of creating a more modern stadium for the county is one of the options understood to have been explored.
The GAA is well financed and the archdiocese may want to realise some value from its land without selling it to a property developer, which could be seen as a purely commercial decision. Archbishop Diarmuid Martin ordered a review of development options for land on Clonliffe Road several months ago.
The spokeswoman said: ‘‘The key focus of that process is the development of a diocesan pastoral centre, which would have at its heart facilities for use by parish and diocesan groups and accommodation for the Mater Dei Institute.
‘‘There are no plans to sell or change the use of Archbishop’s House and it is currently envisaged that Mater Dei’s requirements could be incorporated into any development of Holy Cross College,” she added.
Sunday Business Post
www.buckplanning.ie
It is believed that the talks related to a proposed 30,000-seater stadium which would accommodate sports and other entertainment events. The talks took place some months ago and may now have ground to a halt because of the economic slowdown.
The archdiocese is reviewing options for the development of its land in the Clonliffe Road area close to Croke Park. A spokeswoman said that no talks were taking place with the GAA, but would not comment on whether or not talks had taken place with the GAA in the past number of months.
‘‘There is an ongoing consultation process regarding the use of the grounds of Holy Cross College, Clonliffe, which has been under way for some time,” she said.
‘‘Any proposals will have to go through a rigorous process of consultation which would include the diocesan finance committee and the college of consulters.”
A spokesman for the GAA said that he wasn’t aware of such discussions and that he couldn’t find a record of such talks. ‘‘No proposals for any development of diocesan land have ever been approved by our management committee,” he said.
However, it is understood that talks took place at a preliminary level and that the potential of using the stadium for Dublin GAA games was explored. Dublin play at Parnell Park at present; the possibility of creating a more modern stadium for the county is one of the options understood to have been explored.
The GAA is well financed and the archdiocese may want to realise some value from its land without selling it to a property developer, which could be seen as a purely commercial decision. Archbishop Diarmuid Martin ordered a review of development options for land on Clonliffe Road several months ago.
The spokeswoman said: ‘‘The key focus of that process is the development of a diocesan pastoral centre, which would have at its heart facilities for use by parish and diocesan groups and accommodation for the Mater Dei Institute.
‘‘There are no plans to sell or change the use of Archbishop’s House and it is currently envisaged that Mater Dei’s requirements could be incorporated into any development of Holy Cross College,” she added.
Sunday Business Post
www.buckplanning.ie
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)