Your beach will be gone- Act by 15th February

Marcais

Wicklow County Council ARE GIVING GREYSTONES PUBLIC BEACH AWAY TO PRIVATE DEVELOPERS unless they are forced to desist. The appropriation of a public beach for commercial development, against the wishes of the community, is undemocratic, unacceptable and sets a dangerous precedent for the rest of the country.

You might want to go to the beach, but, the beach won't be accessible because it will be a marina for use by the elite few.

This site is dedicated to saving the beach www.greystonesmarina.com

PLEASE, please , take a minute to cut and paste one or both of the e-mails below and send them to the e-mail link given. The first one is to The Irish Planning Board. The e-mail will be considered as a valid objection once sent before 15th February. You don't have to be resident in Ireland. Just include your name and address. We need 1,000's of e-mails to be sent to stop Councils selling off our coast.

CUT'N'PASTE the text below and e-mail this to Irish Planning Board (This is MOST important and will take 1 min)

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Subject: Residential, commercial and marina development at North Beach Greystones Co. Wicklow

I oppose the granting of permission for the above development and the confirmation of the compulsory purchase orders required to facilitate the development for the reasons set out below.

The residential and commercial component is excessive in size and will severely restrict the views to the north and west from the harbour area thereby destroying the amenity of the area.

The size and scale of the proposed buildings are completely out of keeping with the existing buildings. This will destroy the character of the harbour area.

The development will generate volumes of traffic, both during construction and after completion, which are well beyond the capacity of the existing road network. The development will therefore expose Greystones to the further risk of a road across Bray Head, which would destroy another amenity.

The scale of the marina development is well beyond what is required for the area and its surroundings.

Greystones harbour is the heart of the town and important amenity for its residents and for visitors. The community is united in wanting a sensitive refurbishment of the harbour, which enhances the character of the area. This development fails to achieve this and precludes any such development in the future. It is therefore unsustainable.

The development involves the sale of a public beach for commercial development, against the wishes of the community. This is undemocratic and unacceptable and sets a dangerous precedent for the rest of the country.

I therefore request that the Board refuse permission for this development. I also request that the Board holds an oral hearing and that I be given the opportunity to make representations at that hearing.

Name :
Address :

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This next e-mail is to Dick Roche who is the local TD and also Minister For the Environment, if he gets enough e-mails, he will act to stop the developers taking our beach.
Please choose any of these subject headings (so he doesn't block delete): Marina - Greystones Marina - Traffic - Save the harbour - Please Stop This - Save Our Beach - Election - Hazard - Health Warning

Cut'n'paste this and e-mail to Minister For The Environment, Dick Roche EnvironmentTD ps. The e-mail address is dick.roche@oireachtas.irlgov.ie

See http://www.greystonesmarina.com for more public representatives to send this e-mail to.

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Dear Sir

A wave of tidal proportion is sweeping through Wicklow and Ireland in opposition to the Greystones Marina "Development".

I would ask you to speak out publicy against the appropriation of part of Greystones beach to a private development. The current Wicklow County Council is acting custodian on behalf of the people of Ireland and has not, nor should it have, a mandate to dispose of this public beach without the express wishes of the people. The sale of a public beach for commercial development, against the wishes of the community, is undemocratic, unacceptable and sets a dangerous precedent for the rest of the country.

Please also consider the following:

The residential and commercial component is excessive in size and will severely restrict the views to the north and west from the harbour area thereby destroying the amenity of the area.The size and scale of the proposed buildings are completely out of keeping with the existing buildings. This will destroy the character of the harbour area.

The development will generate volumes of traffic, both during construction and after completion, which are well beyond the capacity of the existing road network. The development will therefore expose Greystones to the further risk of a road across Bray Head, which would destroy another amenity. The scale of the marina development is well beyond what is required for the area and its surroundings.

Greystones harbour is the heart of the town and important amenity for its residents and for visitors. The community is united in wanting a sensitive refurbishment of the harbour, which enhances the character of the area. This development fails to achieve this and precludes any such development in the future. It is therefore unsustainable.

A smaller scale refurbishment costed at €30m and financed by the building and sale of 70 houses has been fully reserached with professional consultation is absolutely viable, and saves the beach for the people.

Thank you for your consideration to these issues.

Name:

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Please let me know what you think on this issue. And please take the time to send these e-mails, it may stop what could be the beginning of an alarming process, WE CANNOT LET THEM TAKE OUR COAST AWAY.

www.greystonesmarina.com

eleMental

i copied and pasted your post into an email and have fwded on to everyone i can think of who could help the cause, i recommend everyone else do the same. theres nothing like the beauty of email to give a campaign like this the platform it needs. Email is alot more practical for most people and they are more inclined to act on them, rather than having to print out letters and sign and post them.

noone is in denial that progress is good, and that the harbour needs some kind of development, but definately not on this scale.

and the the selling of a public beach to a private developer (for the first time in irish history!) has prompted loads of replies from friends who cant believe that such a thing is even legal....

Marcais

eleMental wrote:

i copied and pasted your post into an email and have fwded on to everyone i can think of who could help the cause, i recommend everyone else do the same. theres nothing like the beauty of email to give a campaign like this the platform it needs. Email is alot more practical for most people and they are more inclined to act on them, rather than having to print out letters and sign and post them.

noone is in denial that progress is good, and that the harbour needs some kind of development, but definately not on this scale.

and the the selling of a public beach to a private developer (for the first time in irish history!) has prompted loads of replies from friends who cant believe that such a thing is even legal....

Good man Elemental. I replied to this already by the way, but my post is gone for some reason, without notice

Eoin

Marcais wrote:

Good man Elemental. I replied to this already by the way, but my post is gone for some reason, without notice

It wasn't me, if that's what you are wondering...

Marcais

eoin_s wrote:

It wasn't me, if that's what you are wondering...

No, I didn't think it was. Bit bizarre though, because I even edited. Who knows, I might have deleted it myself!

Anyway, cheers again Elemental!

lastsaturday

did you all get that flyer through the door last night about how badly this development was needed? only another 370 apartments (20% of charlesland)..

jeez guys, c'mon this is important.. we need another 370 apartments!! :rolleyes:

and the view will only be blocked if you are standing on the road looking out to sea. if you are up on the top of the church, you can still see the sea..

loyatemu

I got that flier too - they make some good points and the various clubs at the harbour do need the facilities, but its still total overdevelopment and would fundamentally change the whole area. There's no comparison with Charlesland which is built on fields at the edge of the town.

Also - in the flier they claim there are "3000 more houses on the way anyway" - where exactly are they talking about? I'm pretty sure this is bollocks.

Marcais

lastsaturday wrote:

did you all get that flyer through the door last night about how badly this development was needed? only another 370 apartments (20% of charlesland)..

jeez guys, c'mon this is important.. we need another 370 apartments!! :rolleyes:

and the view will only be blocked if you are standing on the road looking out to sea. if you are up on the top of the church, you can still see the sea..

Yes, and who paid for the printing and distribution of these leaflets There are a lot more more houses planned. Apparently there's 200 houses being applied for here behind Charlesland, which originally was going to be commercial. So their point is: you're getting lots of houses so what difference will 375 appartments sitting on what was formerly the beach make ? Who'se side are they on

ps. 11:30am/12pm there's a family walk along the cliff / harbour picnic deal planned at the harbour, so please come along. (The right of way to this walk will be lost if the marina as planned goes ahead)

Marcais

They can't be too bad!

Sunday 11:30am or 12ish at the harbour A short cliff walk* followed by a wee picnic :v: at the harbour. Great chance to meet and mingle with the people of Greystones/Charlesland/Delagany etc. Good weather is promised by the GPDA so come along.

I'll be there looking exactly like my avatar but with sunglasses for the day that's in it.

See you all there (Oh, and I don't know anyone either, so don't be shy!)

*The Right of Way to these walks are being given up by The Council if the current Marina development is allowed to proceed.

Hanginthere

As much as i love a lot of the people in greystones ild rather not attend this suicide run

Marcais

Hanginthere wrote:

As much as i love a lot of the people in greystones ild rather not attend this suicide run

Even with a username like that !!

We'll just have to try and get by without you

Eoin

Marcais,

I'm merging this with your previous thread

Eoin

quag

I think the harbour development is slightly over the top, but in fairness, everyone on this forum who is opposed to the harbour development is living in or moving to a development that, before being built, was opposed by Greystones residents just as much as the harbour is. This stinks of double standards to me.

Eoin

quag wrote:

I think the harbour development is slightly over the top, but in fairness, everyone on this forum who is opposed to the harbour development is living in or moving to a development that, before being built, was opposed by Greystones residents just as much as the harbour is. This stinks of double standards to me.

If you read previous threads you will see that a third proposal was submitted which involved a new marina, but on a much smaller scale. This seemed to be a happy medium, but was rejected by the county council.

Also, the sale of a public beach is a first ever for Ireland, and is not something that should be taken lightly.

Marcais

eoin_s wrote:

If you read previous threads you will see that a third proposal was submitted which involved a new marina, but on a much smaller scale. This seemed to be a happy medium, but was rejected by the county council.

Also, the sale of a public beach is a first ever for Ireland, and is not something that should be taken lightly.

Yeah Quag, I'd reiterate that. This is way different to any housing development etc. I loved moving here because of the sea, mountains etc. and especially because of the old world charm of the village and the harbour. The intended development and compulsory purchase order of beach and foreshore goes way beyond any ordinary development.

The alternative proposal involves 70 houses, the money raised by selling these houses would cover the cost of a sensitive harbour refurbishment.

The council have provided no facilities here for years and rather than face up to their responsibility they are shirking it, letting developers come in and drop this obscene structure onto the harbour, whilst giving up our beach. Washing their hands of their responsibility while solving the needs of a few groups like sea scouts etc. Come on! Who can possibly beleive that any developer cares one iota about Greystones residents. This would be a huge mistake and a very dangerous precedent.

There are hundreds of e-mails coming in from overseas from people who cannot believe that beaches can be given to developers unchallenged. We cannot let this happen.

tonyharris999

Your beach will be gone ?

North beach or South beach ???? or both ?

how's about a little truth -

You beach will be developed !

it may not be what you want but then when is the last time you got what you wanted form Gov.ie ????

Marcais

tonyharris999 wrote:

Your beach will be gone ?

North beach or South beach ???? or both ?

how's about a little truth -

You beach will be developed !

it may not be what you want but then when is the last time you got what you wanted form Gov.ie ????

You want the truth? You can't handle the truth!!

From the plans submitted by the developer:

37 Acres of foreshore and beach will be taken over by the developer. Where there used to be beach, there will be a 1,000 space car park, 6,400m sq. of commercial units, and we are all aware of the 375 apartments and 230 privately operated berths.

The Environmental Impact Statements states that the effect of this development will be both "profound and negative".

Now, if you have information that this submission by the developer is lies :eek: , please let us know and we will advise the relevant authority.

tonyharris999

and is that North beach or South beach ?

as already asked

and no need to shout - I'm only down the road !

Marcais

tonyharris999 wrote:

and is that North beach or South beach ?

as already asked

and no need to shout - I'm only down the road !

I'm not shouting, THIS IS SHOUTING! (the red is for "code red" i.e "A Few Good Men" sorry!)

It's North Beach, but I'm sure that some of the "literature" from "Build Harbour Now" shows pictures of poor conditons on the South beach.

tonyharris999

your whole post is a shout - sorry - a few good men and all !
I can handle the truth - just can't remember when I last heard it.

I am not all for or all against the developement BUT

something has to happen - the place is a tip at the minute. the only changes I've seen over 30 odd years have been by mother nature with the force of gales

look at Athlone on the Shannon if you ever get a chance. The moorings for the cruisers, the hotel - sure someone make a buck or more but would they have done it without the money ? and dead handy now to stop and visit the town from the water.

what do you suggest ? - I've been looking at the same old same old in Greystones harbour for more years than I care to remember ( sorry Harry !) time for a change I say and a lot more locals also feel the same.

yea we will never all agree but we need something - not another 5 or 10 years of appeals, an bord peanala, high court, the usual sh*te when we NEED something done - preferably before I shed my mortal coil

off to bed now, so good night

Marcais

From the first post on this thread and as posted on the Greystones Marina thread

A smaller scale refurbishment costed at €30m and financed by the building and sale of 70 houses has been fully reserached with professional consultation is absolutely viable, and saves the beach for the people

If this monstrosity is turned down due to it being of ridiculous proportions maybe it will at least be a catalyst for someting smaller and more acceptable to be completed before your mortal coil is shed.

I'd rather see no change than car parks with glass and steel boxes and many more agree.

lastsaturday

i windsurf off the north beach. do you think they'll make provisions for people like us who actually appreciate having the little bay there, from where to launch?

i don't really fancy having to pay to go into a marina and launch from a civilized berth. sort of kills the whole point.

how can you sell public property anyway?????

Fiachra2

yea we will never all agree but we need something - not another 5 or 10 years of appeals, an bord peanala, high court, the usual sh*te when we NEED something done - preferably before I shed my mortal coil

off to bed now, so good night[/QUOTE]

In fairness, the only reason we have had 10 years of appeals etc so far is because of the stubborn refusal of many local public representatives to compromise on this and accept a smaller develoment which will meet with public support.

I dont think its fair that the community should have to put up with this development just because of the intrasigence of local politicians.

Read the report in this weeks Bray people of the last Town Council meeting. They are simply trying to bully the people into acccepting their views. I dont think that's right or proper and I think we should fight on. If we stick it out we will win in the end.

Remember there is an election coming and they need our votes!