Brendan McCann at it again

Max Powers

I see Brendan McCann is (unbelievably) objecting to the re-development of some shops in Arundel Square (H&M have been lined up - Munster). This man has been on a quest to stop any progress being made in Waterford by continuously objecting to, delaying and stopping badly needed and wanted projects in Waterford. If it wasnt for McCann, The Newgate Centre may be being built now, providing jobs for hundreds of people and the vital retail space that some companies have been saying for years that they need in the city centre in order for them to move in.


His latest objection is again a flimsy disguise for his real objective to prohibit and stop Waterford reaching its full potential. His reason is archeology of the site would not be sufficient, even though an extensive archeaology dig was done there for City Square, all the buildings in the area are modern and would have had digs there before.


In conclusion, this man has continuously strived to prevent Waterford jobs, and sure why not when you are in a state guaranteed 100k+ job in WIT and couldnt care less about the local economy, what the majority of people want and sure what the hell not even from Waterford.

Sully

The Newgate Center, is that not in NAMA now?

Dum_Dum

He obviously doesn't want development in the City Centre and would prefer greenfield sites. So lets follow that through and build more suburbs and let the centre rot.

seanybiker

That fella is a complete plonker. Seen in the paper yesterday that some serial objector up the country found a load of people outside his house protesting at him.

jayboi

Sully wrote: »

The Newgate Center, is that not in NAMA now?

Sully please! keep to the topic at hand
I think it is tho
http://www.waterford-news.ie/news/mhkfsnsncw/

So he wants the whole town to bend to his will does he?

wmpdd3

Sully wrote: »

The Newgate Center, is that not in NAMA now?

Do you mean the piece of land the developers bought but were continually twarted from developing?

Where does this guy live? On a viking settlement that never had to apply for planning. He should just be dismissed as a crank and a developer should drag his ass through court.

H&M would bring alot of employment (9% pay to sales ratio) and customers to Waterford, just look at the one in Limerick, it is one of the major attractions at the Crescent.

EoinHeffernan

I really wish this was a joke. Lets call a spade a spade, any investment that will create jobs and extra income into the local economy should be welcomed with open arms. Frankly the man baffles me on so many levels, but then again as stated when you have a 100k p/a guaranteed job, why care about anything outside of your own narrow minded ideologies?

Professey Chin

Fcuk sake.Thought we'd gotten rid of the goblin

Mysterious&Shy

Excuse my ignorance, but who is he?

Professey Chin

Our Friendly Neighbourhood Serial Objector.
Has objected to pretty much every significant (and some insignificant) development (with the exception of WIT since he works there) in Waterford over the last 7/8 years.
Search for his name on the ABP website and youll get back about 40 results from different planning developments. And theyre just the ones that made to ABP. Id say the list of city & county council ones is much more

1967

The greatest serial objector of development in Ireland,pity he can't fcuk back up to Galway and object to everything they try and buld or develop there man is just a crank but his whims have cost people a lot of money and local jobs.

Mysterious&Shy

What an idiot! So he is against job creation and development for the city??

Sure, shouldn't people know by now not to take him seriously?

Marchandire

On the other hand, he is completely correct in this instance.

The 1988-1992 city square excavation was one of the most significant archaeological investigations ever undertaken in Ireland, and one of the most important Viking sites ever found in Western Europe. According to Mr. McCann, the archaeological impact assessment for this new development was done without any test trenches dug or any significant physical investigation. To go ahead with a development in an area of such dense archaeological remains without a serious physical assessment is ridiculous and dangerous.

Tbh, I can't believe that Waterford people are so willing to sacrifice our local heritage so a Dublin based property developer can squeeze a profit.

Property developers bankrupted this country and this left Waterford with the highest unemployment in the country. Yet numerous Waterford people are always ready to bend over backwards to support them, with some bizarre idea that further development will create a few jobs and somehow save the local economy. It's the height of stupidity: using the job losses over-development caused to justify more property development. Why aren't you people supporting local businesses and calling for investment in manufacturing and R&D?

Why not ask local small and medium business owners how they feel about yet another retail development in the city? Or head out to the retail park at the Six Cross Roads, or the empty, NAMA bound Shopping centre in Ferrybank?

In my opinion, Gary Wyse and his pro-developer acolytes are far more dangerous to this city than Brendan McCann was ever supposed to be.

kensutz

Ah for feck sake! I was only thinking recently that we haven't heard from him lately.

SillyMcCarthy

Sully wrote: »

The Newgate Center, is that not in NAMA now?

A little bit off topic but FFS! People are giving out about
the funny accents but it's ok to spell their way!

Centre is spelled as such! OK!!!!!

STIG83

Wait til the day Brendan McCann looks for planning permission!! they be a rake of people objecting to him!!
This guy seems a right ass.

Faq

He also objected to Centra in Farran park from being redeveloped i thought it was very funny seeing him use the shop after he failed god know why he had a problem with a small shop

Professey Chin

STIG83 wrote: »

Wait til the day Brendan McCann looks for planning permission!! they be a rake of people objecting to him!!
This guy seems a right ass.

He did apply for an extension but it was done under his wifes name. Dont think it went ahead though. I remember it being brought up in a thread here.......or maybe it was on UpTheDeise.

Faq wrote: »

He also objected to Centra in Farran park from being redeveloped i thought it was very funny seeing him use the shop after he failed god know why he had a problem with a small shop

We all know the archeological history of Farran park is very important (it seems to appear in a lot of his objections)

STIG83

Is this guy a Councillor or what? is he a member of the Green Party?

Professey Chin

Used to be. Didnt get elected a while ago and I think the GP has distanced themselves from him. Not sure if hes still a member. I have been told hes a terrible lecturer though

Sully

jayboi wrote: »

Sully please! keep to the topic at hand
I think it is tho
http://www.waterford-news.ie/news/mhkfsnsncw/

So he wants the whole town to bend to his will does he?

Banned.

Nah, I actually misread the OP at the time and thought he meant the development was going ahead. My bad

wmpdd3 wrote: »

Do you mean the piece of land the developers bought but were continually twarted from developing?

Where does this guy live? On a viking settlement that never had to apply for planning. He should just be dismissed as a crank and a developer should drag his ass through court.

H&M would bring alot of employment (9% pay to sales ratio) and customers to Waterford, just look at the one in Limerick, it is one of the major attractions at the Crescent.

Ya know, McCann may have saved us. The developers obviously couldn't go forward with the idea - imagine if they had started? Plus, look at other such developments built including two in Ferrybank. Sitting empty.

Marchandire wrote: »

On the other hand, he is completely correct in this instance.

The 1988-1992 city square excavation was one of the most significant archaeological investigations ever undertaken in Ireland, and one of the most important Viking sites ever found in Western Europe. According to Mr. McCann, the archaeological impact assessment for this new development was done without any test trenches dug or any significant physical investigation. To go ahead with a development in an area of such dense archaeological remains without a serious physical assessment is ridiculous and dangerous.

Tbh, I can't believe that Waterford people are so willing to sacrifice our local heritage so a Dublin based property developer can squeeze a profit.

Property developers bankrupted this country and this left Waterford with the highest unemployment in the country. Yet numerous Waterford people are always ready to bend over backwards to support them, with some bizarre idea that further development will create a few jobs and somehow save the local economy. It's the height of stupidity: using the job losses over-development caused to justify more property development. Why aren't you people supporting local businesses and calling for investment in manufacturing and R&D?

Why not ask local small and medium business owners how they feel about yet another retail development in the city? Or head out to the retail park at the Six Cross Roads, or the empty, NAMA bound Shopping centre in Ferrybank?

In my opinion, Gary Wyse and his pro-developer acolytes are far more dangerous to this city than Brendan McCann was ever supposed to be.

I don't mind them opening, and I do believe the city centre needs it, but a recent development for Pennys saw archaeological interest so I can see why precaution is needed here.

SillyMcCarthy wrote: »

A little bit off topic but FFS! People are giving out about
the funny accents but it's ok to spell their way!

Centre is spelled as such! OK!!!!!

Don't be silly, both are technically correct!

O Riain

where are they gonna fit H and M in arundel square? are they knocking buildings to build something new? cause the current ones are not big and if i remember correctly, occupied

wobbles

O Riain wrote: »

where are they gonna fit H and M in arundel square? are they knocking buildings to build something new? cause the current ones are not big and if i remember correctly, occupied

Supposed to be replacing the brasserie, the o2 shop and a few shops inside the door of city square

O Riain

while i cant stand mccann I would like to see his objection in full here, is he objecting to the design/layout or does he simply want a proper excavation done? if thats the case im with him on this one

dayshah

How about people actually point out why they don't think his objection should be upheld?

The majority of his objections have been upheld. If developers did their job properly, and submitted decent development proposals, then they wouldn't be delayed by valid objections.

I don't know Brendan McCann, but I think he has to be one of the bravest people in Waterford. He is willing to take on one of the most powerful vested interest groups in the country, developers, who were at the height of their power.

Also the Greens haven't distanced themselves from McCann, he distanced himself from them.

So who is to blame for the state the country is in? The last government? The developers? Or one man on his bicycle?

decies

If your referring to Waterford one man on his bicycle!!! I think we are all grown up to know we can't blame him for the national disaster we find ourself in. I think if it's a choice between securing sustainable jobs for this forgotten city or holding up something for years in the hope of finding a shrapnel of cooking pot ,am with the former . Beggars literally can't be choosey!!!

Cabaal

dayshah wrote: »

How about people actually point out why they don't think his objection should be upheld?

The majority of his objections have been upheld. If developers did their job properly, and submitted decent development proposals, then they wouldn't be delayed by valid objections.

Actually this is a very valid point, its evident that the developments had some serious failings and that why they did not go ahead, had the newgate centre gone ahead then we'd be left with a massive either unfinished or empty development as Sully has rightly pointed out.

Jobs should not be supplied at any cost and proper archaeological digs and investigations are very important to preserve our history, in the past no such digs were done up and down the country and many old buildings were simply destroyed with no thought and because of that we lost alot of valuable history and heritage.

Additionally I find it amusing that people love the idea of the whole Viking Triangle and bringing Tourists to Waterford yet they don't want to preserve history which is the very thing that will bring tourists to Waterford.

Yes his objections I'm sure are annoying and perhaps "some" should have gone ahead but if he has succeeded this proves there were failings with the plans of the developments in question and yet people are not questioning this. As dayshah has asked, if people think something should go ahead then outline your issue with the objection instead of just hating he man.

Psychedelic

There may be valid reasons to his objections but I think he is absolutely against any form of development in Waterford and that is the primary reason for his objections.

gscully

wobbles wrote: »

Supposed to be replacing the brasserie, the o2 shop and a few shops inside the door of city square

Nooooooo. Brendan, you're my hero (this time).

Sully

Mod Note

Folks, please don't get personal and start commenting on matters outside of his objections. Anything else is irrelevant and because of the nature of this discussion, such posts will be removed.

Stick with the topic at hand, please. Its not easy on the mods considering you are talking about one individual!

Bards

I find it very amusing that he did not object to anything while the Greens were in Government. Yet a new Government is only in a wet day and he starts objecting again - Am I being too cynical?

Cabaal

Bards wrote: »

I find it very amusing that he did not object to anything while the Greens were in Government. Yet a new Government is only in a wet day and he starts objecting again - Am I being too cynical?

errr wasn't Newgate Developnment amongst others all proposed whilst FF and Greens were in Gov?

dayshah

Bards wrote: »

I find it very amusing that he did not object to anything while the Greens were in Government. Yet a new Government is only in a wet day and he starts objecting again - Am I being too cynical?

He left the Greens because he was unhappy with them in government. I think you are being too cynical.

Also regarding him not objecting to things in WIT. The WIT architecture is suitable to its location (edge of town, by a manufacturing plant). If you tried to plonk the library building into the city centre that would be a different story.

Yes Boss

dayshah wrote: »

He left the Greens because he was unhappy with them in government. I think you are being too cynical.

Also regarding him not objecting to things in WIT. The WIT architecture is suitable to its location (edge of town, by a manufacturing plant). If you tried to plonk the library building into the city centre that would be a different story.

And your view on the appalling modifications/additions to the College Street Campus - One of Waterford's few buildings of Architectural significance!

dayshah

Yes Boss wrote: »

And your view on the appalling modifications/additions to the College Street Campus - One of Waterford's few buildings of Architectural significance!

I don't know anything about that. Perhaps you could be so kind as to provide a link.

Bards

Cabaal wrote: »

errr wasn't Newgate Developnment amongst others all proposed whilst FF and Greens were in Gov?

FF & PD's

pocketvenus

O Riain wrote: »

where are they gonna fit H and M in arundel square? are they knocking buildings to build something new? cause the current ones are not big and if i remember correctly, occupied

I read the planning notice and if I remember right they are taking all the space from Sully's Snooker Hall down to the Brassaire and then going back into City Square as their retail outlet. Not sure if 02 shop is being taken in also but wouldnt be a bad thing as a bigger shop is needed there.

City needs some new retail outlets as shooping is so bad here and you literally would get about shops here in 30 mins.

McCann needs to go back to Galway. It seem he does not want the project to go ahead at all, both City Square & Pennys incorportaed the city walls into their sites no problems & anyway that area was extensively looked at when City Square and the Brassaire, Cutting Co etc were built so it is unlikely there is anything left there.

I have a feeling as he also objected to the relative Gov Dept it will be knocked down as they to be intention on keeping Waterford in the sorry state it is. No doubt some Gov official as his eye on getting it to his own area.

angry_fox

Marchandire wrote: »

Why not ask local small and medium business owners how they feel about yet another retail development in the city?

Was in around town today and they love the idea, brings more people and money in to the city. No one is coming to Waterford because there is no good retail outlets. The town has a great history with some fantastic historical buildings but that does not bring in the big money or provide many jobs. Big name retailers and proper developments in the city centre bring in the people, money for local business and creates jobs.

But for McCann latest scheme, I never thought I would say this but I think he may have a point......

wellboytoo

Mc Cann uses the minutae of the planning act to stop development, a very clever and effective method, but not in the spirit of the act. don't know the planning permission on this site , but it is unspoilt in an historical sense and if the development proposes to dig into it , it should be excavated .
But this cannot be done to the depth of City square as it is a very small foot print and is not practicable to go to that depth.
Dig or cover and raft over, it will be there in another few hundred years, as has been done on many an occasion in the past, if you don't disturb it , fine build on top of it.

1967

That site was excavated to the nth degree when city square was in the planning stages if there was anything to be found i am sure it would have been found then,pure pettiness from the man as far as i am concerned.

Finnbar01

Ultimate Chin wrote: »

Used to be. Didnt get elected a while ago and I think the GP has distanced themselves from him. Not sure if hes still a member. I have been told hes a terrible lecturer though

What does he lecture in?

dayshah

Finnbar01 wrote: »

What does he lecture in?

Maths.

He came across very well on Talking History during a discussion of Pythagoras.

You can download the podcast.
http://www.newstalk.ie/2011/programmes/all-programmes/talking-history/pythagoras-on-talking-history-sunday-10th/

DixNeuf

Hi all, I'm looking at someone who is regarded as a serial objector in another part of the country. There seem to be a lot of similarities between how most people who've posted on this chap and the situation I'm interested in. I just wanted to ask, what do you think fellas who persistantly object to planning applications are doing it for?

Do you think they are just being a pain? Do you think it's a sense of misguided civic responsability?

The other thing that interests me is, if someone objects to a development, surely if the objection is baseless, it can be thrown out? Particularly if it's from someone who seems to do it frequently.

I have no knowledge of the case you guys are discussing particularly though.

For the record, I've been to Waterford several times in the last 2 years and really enjoyed it. No amount of extra shops or centres would prompt me to go back again though, There are things like that in every town and city in the country. All the same in big developments too, I find.

So I don't believe having H&M is going to bring in more tourists.:o

What's there that's unique is what people go for.

But I'm a big fan of the place. But I completely understand why people would want a greater variety of shops where they live, it just didn't strike me as particularly lacking in that regard.

Finnbar01

I don't know Dix why they constantly complain, maybe it gives them a sense of importance?

DixNeuf

Yeah, maybe it's some sort of empowerment.

If I'm honest, I'm a little conflicted. Some of my favourite parts of the country could clearly have done with someone objecting to some of the stuff that got built in the last few years. Lots of it was needed of course, but planning is such a dark art in this country.

Sorry if I'm wandering off topic.

viking2011

DixNeuf wrote: »

I just wanted to ask, what do you think fellas who persistantly object to planning applications are doing it for?

Do you think they are just being a pain? Do you think it's a sense of misguided civic responsability?

.

he has a high opinion of himself, says he is preserving the city for future generations.
on Billy McCarty Show he was asked if he thought it was right - he said he would love to be cloned in every town in ireland to stop planning mishaps!
if thats not big headed!!!!!

Green Hornet

Just out of curiosity, is it acceptable to be naming and slating somebody on a forum like this? Seems kind of personal? Sounds like some of his objections have been appropriate from some of the posts.

decies

If you object to an opening of a paper bag your bound to get it right once or twice!!!!

dayshah

DixNeuf wrote: »

Do you think it's a sense of misguided civic responsability?

As most of his objections have been upheld I don't think his sense of civic responsibility is misguided at all.

Just look at where the Old Stand was and the Árd Rí. Does anyone seriously think we can trust developers to do what they think is best?

We have a planning process for a reason, and the fact that most of his objections were upheld show they were valid. His objections caused delays because they were held to be valid, which meant redesigns were needed.

If his objections were not valid, they would not have caused the same delays.

Moral of the story, if you want your development to proceed quickly then submit a decent proposal in the first instance.

decies

Moral of the story if you want to bring major retail development and jobs to Waterford city think twice and go somewhere where you might be more welcome.

Gadgie

Ultimate Chin wrote: »

I have been told hes a terrible lecturer though

For the record, I had him for maths in first year, and I thought he was excellent.

I don't believe he has a secret agenda to stifle development in Waterford. I'm sure he believes that the objections he's making are valid. But since I never discussed anything with him besides maths, that's just my own impression of the man's character.