Minsterial Taskforce to Examine Relocation of Dublin Port

Minister for the Environment John Gormley recently announced the establishment of a taskforce to advise on the future of Dublin Bay with a mandate that will include the removal of Dublin Port and seeking "sustainable redevelopment" of its 650-acre land bank.

Comment: This measure is obviously designed to lend weight to the proposal to create a new port at Bremore, in the process closing down Dublin Port and perhaps others around the country.

In 2005, Meath County Council rezoned 240 acres of land at Gormanston, Co Meath for Industrial and logistics development in the East Meath Development Plan. The lands are adjacent to Bremore, the proposed location of the new port.

Sources:

http://buckplanning.blogspot.com/2008/05/taskforce-to-look-at-port-relocation.html

http://www.droghedaport.ie/cms/publish/article_231.shtml

http://www.droghedachamber.com/cms/publish/article_339.php

http://www.droghedaport.ie/cms/publish/newport.shtml

Huge "Floating Pontoon" planned for Lower Ormond Quay

Three parties are appealing planning permission for a floating pontoon at Lower Ormond Quay to An Bord Pleanála because of the impact it would have on the view of the Ha’penny Bridge from the River Liffey.

In April 2008, Dublin City Council granted Irish Ship and Barge Fabrication Co Ltd planning permission for the venture. The pontoon, a 120-metre - long “floating street”, would be cobbled and positioned off the Liffey Boardwalk.
The proposal is that visitors will be able to sit at tables on the pontoon, and order coffee from two former Guinness barges refurbished as a café and restaurant. The pontoon will be part of a €9 million plan to restore four 80ft former Guinness barges from the sea off the coast of Northern Ireland. Some of the barges will operate cruises on the Liffey, while a separate fleet of ferries will collect and drop off passengers at 12 points on the river.


Sources:

http://buckplanning.blogspot.com/2008/05/ormond-quay-pontoon-appealed.html

http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/images/2008/0529/1211830527358_1.html

http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/property/2008/0529/1211830527358.html

http://dublin.iwai.ie/images/proposals/slides/%60Guinness-barge_pontoon_3.html

http://buckplanning.blogspot.com/2008/01/return-of-barges-to-liffey-planned.html

440 Homes given planning permission in Baldoyle

An Bord Pleanála has granted planning permission for 440 homes on former racecourse lands at Baldoyle, Co Dublin to Helsingor Ltd.

The Board overruled its own inspector’s recommendation to refuse planning permission and disagreed with the inspector’s appraisal that there was a disproportionate split between the number of houses and apartments which would have a negative impact on achieving the overall objections of the Local Area Action Plan.

As well as over 440 units – made up of apartments, duplexes and houses in seven blocks, and a small number of semi-detached and detached houses – the developer, Sean Mulryan got planning permission for a civic park and a crèche.

In March 2007, the company received permission from An Bord Pleanála for a development of around 400 new homes, as the third phase of the development.

On that occasion the development proposed was sizably reduced following discussions with Fingal County Council and planning conditions imposed by An Bord Pleanála.

Elements of the scheme that were rejected in March include 10,000sq m (107,639sq ft) of offices, a leisure centre and department store while the number of apartments was reduced from 482.

The development will include a medical centre, supermarket, shops, restaurants and a pub.

Around 4,000 homes are planned for the former Baldoyle racecourse and an adjoining 100-acre site in Portmarnock.

Mulryan sold a 50 per cent stake in the Baldoyle and Portmarnock lands to Séamus Ross of Menolly Homes for € 95 million in 2004.

Mulryan, whose main development company is Ballymore Properties, acquired the racecourse in 1999 for about £30 million from developer John Byrne.



Comment:

In 2006, the Census held by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), found that at least 220,000 houses and apartments across Ireland were vacant. In 2008, 40,000 apartments lie vacant in Dublin City alone.


Sources:

http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/property-plus/baldoyle-site-gets-go-ahead-for-453-homes-1391871.html

http://buckplanning.blogspot.com/2008/05/bord-says-yes-to-sean-mulryans-plans.html

http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/property/2008/0529/1211830527347.html