A question on planning objections?

Nesta99

I have no background or knowledge of planning regulations. So I am wondering about how or why people can object to to a development of facility to maintain essentially a monoply regardless of whether there is room in a market for competition. A few examples of the many Ive seen- 1 poor and expensive cinema in Dundalk (where I from) objecting to another new cinema build by a rival company. The grounds of objection are spurious as it seems to me; At minimum the process of objection to the Local Authority, permission granted, objection to An Bord Pleanala etc causes significant delay and maintains market dominance during the process.

Objection to planning granted at DkIT to ABP has happened which will delay facilities that would augment the IT, benefiting students and increasing the R+D wing of the College. Its under some PPP type development with the college that includes a private nursing home (at the rear of the School of Nursing). The nursing home will obviously generate revenue for the developer involved.

The objection has come from [snip]. With some curiosity it took little effort to find -

An Bord Pleanala have upheld Louth County Council’s decision to grant planning permission to Frank Holmes to construct a 42 bed residential care home at [snip]. So a vested interest to not having a similar facility built - its not as if we have a general surplus of suitable residential care homes for the elderly. [snip]s planning permission was in itself objected to from another owner of a care home in [snip] 10 miles out of the town.

There a list of unfulfilled plans that became just to difficult to build eg a factory shop outlets within the town centre was objected to from businesses as far away as Mullingar. This plan would have contributed to a regeneration of a dying town centre. Apartments are now built on the site with minimal occupancy. The factory outlet was subsequently built in Lisburn due to the developer giving up at the point of a judicial review of ABPs granting of planning .

I have no vested interest but it seems to me that others interests are sufficient to object to plans to the detriment of the people's amenities, purely to keep competition quelled.

I hope this is an appropriate forum, if not can mods move as needed?

Poor Uncle Tom

Without any knowledge of the specific cases you have mentioned, I see you have pin pointed what appears to be, at best the use of or at worst the abuse of the submission or observation / appeals procedure in the planning process.

The current Irish planning process is a deeply flawed and outdated system, however the submission, observation / appeals procedures is a necessary part of the current system. As with any process it is open to misuse, if anyone feels the observation / appeal procedure is being used for vexatious purposes, this can be pointed out by the applicant to the LA or ABP who should take account of same.

Regarding your post, have you a specific question?

Nesta99

Thanks! Without actually my being specific you have more or less answered my 'question'. I was wondering if people have a right to object to suppress a development that is simply competition. Or is it an abuse of the system and is noted. It just seemed to me to a ridiculous scenario that if I, for example, happend to have the financial resources to build say a sweet shop that doesnt contravene any planning regulation that another sweet shop owner could stop, block, or delay my efforts because he can, and maintains his business at position at all cost. It is an outrage that during a chronic shortage hospital beds of which many are taken up by elderly folk who only need (unavailable) step-down, convalescence, or respite bed that would be provided by a development that is being stopped or delayed by another care home owner as it suits to have him/her to continue with the current situation of chronic bed shortage as they can continue to demand a premium from people or Health Service. Damn right that the planning system needs reform if it is regularly used as a method to stifle progress and block growth!!

DOCARCH

Mod Note: @Nesta99 Please do not refer to names of individuals or details in relation to private developments. Thanks.

Angry bird

Yes there is abuse of then appeal system, but in the main, objections are sincere. Remove objections or appeals to An Bord Pleanala then a hell of a lot more crap would have been built during the Celtic Tiger. The pros outweigh the cons considerably in my opinion. I would favour tightening up the length of time involved both for Council stage and appeal stage.

Nesta99

DOCARCH wrote: »

Mod Note: @Nesta99 Please do not refer to names of individuals or details in relation to private developments. Thanks.

Sorry I didnt realise it was against forum rules as the names are in the public domain.

Nesta99

Angry bird wrote: »

Yes there is abuse of then appeal system, but in the main, objections are sincere. Remove objections or appeals to An Bord Pleanala then a hell of a lot more crap would have been built during the Celtic Tiger. The pros outweigh the cons considerably in my opinion. I would favour tightening up the length of time involved both for Council stage and appeal stage.

I agree that removing or weakening an appeals or obections process is a non-runner and rightly so. The grunds on which appeals or objections should be minimised either through some financial penalty or other methods when a planning application meets set criteria and an objection is based upon preventing development for personal financial reasons etc

DOCARCH

Nesta99 wrote: »

Sorry I didnt realise it was against forum rules as the names are in the public domain.

Names...and...insinuations, in a public forum. That's the problem.