AN TAISCE has called on Coillte Teoranta to abandon its “ill-advised” commercial property programme following a second planning refusal for a nursing home on its lands.
The State forestry company was refused planning permission by An Bord Pleanála for a 100-bed nursing home and community facilities at Carrowbaun, off the M6 in east Co Galway, following an appeal by An Taisce.
A number of grounds for refusal were given by the appeals board, including its view that the “unsuitable rural location” would contribute to piecemeal isolated development as well as being prejudicial to public health because of the risk of ground water pollution from septic tanks.
Ian Lumley, An Taisce’s heritage officer, said the Co Galway scheme – one of five nursing home applications on forest land – was “part of a wider misplaced commercial agenda by Coillte designed to attract investors if privatisation of the State forestry organisation goes ahead”.
“One in Co Wexford has already been refused along with the Galway development, and the remaining three are still in the planning system,” he said.
“The forestry agency is also currently proposing to enter into a deal with Irish Distillers for a poorly placed storage facility in a State forest 9km from the Irish Distillers plant in Middleton.
“These developments are being led entirely by availability of the land bank without any regard for proper spatial planning.
“The Galway refusal also shows that Coillte is wasting time and resources by entering into development proposals which are against national planning policy.”
Attempts to contact Coillte to comment on An Bord Pleanála’s decision and An Taisce’s claims were unsuccessful.
Irish Times
www.buckplanning.ie
Showing posts with label coillte and planning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label coillte and planning. Show all posts
Monday, 31 January 2011
Tuesday, 23 June 2009
Coillte eyes property development
The company controls 7 per cent of all land in the country, and is now seeking to partner with property developers and building firms to develop projects.
Coillte has issued a tender inviting proposals from property companies and intends to set up a panel of potential partners, which it will draw from for individual projects.
According to tender documents, the company is interested in a full range of potential projects, including residential developments, schools, health centres and creches. Coillte also lists utility developments such as waste water facilities and energy projects as potential enterprises.
Tourism projects, leisure developments and sports facilities will also be considered.
Gerry Egan, group director of corporate affairs at Coillte, said the forestry company had applied for and received planning permission for various once-off developments in recent years. He said it now intended to ‘‘formalise’’ its approach to property projects to get the best value.
‘‘We are constantly being approached by individual developers about specific projects. We felt it would be a good idea to control it in a formal basis,” according to Egan.
He said the Coillte tender was ‘‘testing the market’’ to see what projects would be proposed. ‘‘We are looking for people to come and talk to us, and we are setting up a formal structure to allow this to happen,” he said. Coillte has annual revenues of about €250 million, but recently warned the government that it expects to make a loss this year.
It is expected to cut jobs from its workforce of 1,200 people, after suffered from the downturn in residential property construction and the weakness of sterling.
Sunday Business Post
www.buckplanning.ie
Coillte has issued a tender inviting proposals from property companies and intends to set up a panel of potential partners, which it will draw from for individual projects.
According to tender documents, the company is interested in a full range of potential projects, including residential developments, schools, health centres and creches. Coillte also lists utility developments such as waste water facilities and energy projects as potential enterprises.
Tourism projects, leisure developments and sports facilities will also be considered.
Gerry Egan, group director of corporate affairs at Coillte, said the forestry company had applied for and received planning permission for various once-off developments in recent years. He said it now intended to ‘‘formalise’’ its approach to property projects to get the best value.
‘‘We are constantly being approached by individual developers about specific projects. We felt it would be a good idea to control it in a formal basis,” according to Egan.
He said the Coillte tender was ‘‘testing the market’’ to see what projects would be proposed. ‘‘We are looking for people to come and talk to us, and we are setting up a formal structure to allow this to happen,” he said. Coillte has annual revenues of about €250 million, but recently warned the government that it expects to make a loss this year.
It is expected to cut jobs from its workforce of 1,200 people, after suffered from the downturn in residential property construction and the weakness of sterling.
Sunday Business Post
www.buckplanning.ie
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