An Bord Pleanala Do Deal with Developers

[Norfolk Enchants]

As reported currently by RTE, and a deal that should be of concern to all:

In what appears to be a deal with developers, beyond the remit of An Bord Pleanala, permission has been granted for a €300m development of a private 230 berth marina and 341 apartments to be built on Greystones beach.

The plan, promoted solely by Fine Gael and Fianna Fail coucillors was and is, vehemently opposed by local residents and many others.

An Bord Pleanala Controversial Decision

What motivation an Bord Pleanala had to sit down with developers to make this application feasible is open to speculation. The inspector who chaired the oral hearing submitted a negative report i.e. recommending that this project does not go ahead due to the many environmental, social and safety concerns.

Something stinks.

This is what is planned!
Developers Dream

[Thac0man]

Its a horrible crock of a developement and a sell out by the county council. I am not suprised local residents object so strongly to it. Sadly I am also not suprised they were ignored.

[Norfolk Enchants]

Its a horrible crock of a developement and a sell out by the county council. I am not suprised local residents object so strongly to it. Sadly I am also not suprised they were ignored.

Fianna Fail and Fine Gael should be concerned about the local elections. I would guess that the councillors who promoted and arranged this i.e FF councillor Kathleen Kelleher and FG councillors Derek Mitchell and George Jones will be kicked out by Greystones residents, and fair play if they do.

Having said that, I don' thing that local residents did enough to publicise this development and the gifting of the beach to developers that it entails.

I used to go to Greystones as a child and feel sick that this seascape is being destroyed. If you ever travel on the DART or train to Wicklow you will understand what a beautiful sight it is and why the locals are outraged.

[Thac0man]

With council election in 2009 traditional voting practices have time to get reinstated. Wicklow county council has been at the forefront of mad planning for years, it rarely got anyone unelected.

[CJH]

Its a horrible crock of a developement and a sell out by the county council. I am not suprised local residents object so strongly to it. Sadly I am also not suprised they were ignored.

Fianna Fail and Fine Gael should be concerned about the local elections. I would guess that the councillors who promoted and arranged this i.e FF councillor Kathleen Kelleher and FG councillors Derek Mitchell and George Jones will be kicked out by Greystones residents, and fair play if they do.

Having said that, I don' thing that local residents did enough to publicise this development and the gifting of the beach to developers that it entails.

I used to go to Greystones as a child and feel sick that this seascape is being destroyed. If you ever travel on the DART or train to Wicklow you will understand what a beautiful sight it is and why the locals are outraged.

Look, I agree with you that this development is disgusting, and I am sickened that ABP (a body that I have long had respect for) has given the go ahead.

But the harbour currently is in an awful state, delapidated and rat-infested. The anti-development residents have accepted that something needs to be done. Just not this

[CJH]

I haven't followed the process in detail, so apologies if the following question is ignorant:

But is there any potential for a Judicial Review of this decision? Or is that it?

[Thac0man]

But the harbour currently is in an awful state, delapidated and rat-infested. The anti-development residents have accepted that something needs to be done. Just not this

That is a recurring trend across the country. If you exchange "rat infested " for "maget for anti-social behaviour", Wicklow country council is far from alone in letting things slide until people will accept anything as long as action is taken. Enter the private developer (que applause).

In my own area a listed national monumnet was recently destroyed, the developer citing it as a "magnet for anti-social" elements. Researching it, I found my local council had recognised this and local politicians were promoting this view without using public funds to rectify the situation. Enter the developer, exit local landmark and hello high density apartments. Problem solved, pockets lined.

[Maximilian]

I am not entirely familiar with the history of this development and in particular the history of the planning process in this case. Could you therefore explain the three assertions below as the story to which you have linked makes no such claims:

In what appears to be a deal with developers...

...beyond the remit of An Bord Pleanala...

...[An Bord Pleanála sat] down with developers to make this application feasible....

[alonso]

max the process was discussed in detail on the last few pages of this thread

http://www.politics.ie/viewtopic.php?t=23124

suffice to say that the 3 assertions are just that. It is certainly not beyond the remit of the Bord to do this. Usually in a "deal" both sides get something.

It's an appalling decision, but one that was effectively taken by the Councillors in 2004. And they were elected by the people of Greystones and Wicklow.

good points thacoman. It's a dreadful state of afairs when Local Govt is looking to private interests to maintain the coastline or heritage by developing all over it.

CJH leave for a judicial review can only be granted if an error in law can be proven to have occurred. A "bad" decision cannot be reviewed, only an illegal one. In any case, it's the decision that gets quashed. The developers can merely resubmit the exact same proposal and receive permission.

A worrying precedent has been set.

[Norfolk Enchants]

I haven't followed the process in detail, so apologies if the following question is ignorant:

But is there any potential for a Judicial Review of this decision? Or is that it?

I would be only guessing but I cannot see the residents of Greystones not taking this further and I would have to thinnk that a judicial review would be an option.

I would like to hear what Fine Gael and Fianna Fail supportes think about their party's support for this developer profit motivated disaster.