Shamrock Rovers denied planning permission for new ground

thejollyrodger

16/12/2004 - 16:53:47
http://breaking.tcm.ie/2004/12/16/story180775.html
Shamrock Rovers' future is once again in doubt after South Dublin County Council (SDCC) refused an application to extend planning permission for the club’s new home ground in Tallaght.

Planning permission was first granted five years ago, but the SDCC refused permission for the extension as it was unhappy with the club’s application.

Rovers submitted an application insisting that with new investor, racing tycoon Conor Clarkson, on board they could restart work in January with a view to playing their first game there in July.

However, the SDCC were not satisfied as: “The precise nature of the interest, and of the relationship between [Clarkson] and the applicant, Shamrock Rovers Football Club, is not explained.”

Clarkson is in the process of purchasing Mulden International, the company that owns the lease on the 13.3-acre site in Tallaght, but so far has yet to assume full control of the company, which would effectively make him Rovers' landlord in Tallaght.

With no appeal to An Bord Pleanála allowed, the club’s only option is a judicial review. Shamrock Rovers chairman Tony Maguire admitted that: “If that is the only option, we have to do it. There is no alternative.”

Terrible news, I hope there is some sort of an appeal

_blank_

Surely Shady ShowaddyRoddy can come up with something?

I don't believe this has happened, things were looking good for them, with the €9m cash injection and all. I wonder what this decision means in relation to that?

I heard on the 5-7 Live report that there will be an appeal.

Hmm, take note Shelbourne.

thejollyrodger

I think if Conor Clarkson comes clean with his plans for Shamrock Rovers and his exact role in the club along with the time frame for developing the grounds then they should win the appeal.

I hope Shels dont have this problem

gimmick

Wonder does Roddy still think Rovers are the club with the biggest potential in Europe. Couldnt happen a nicer jerk.

_blank_

Did he actually say that :eek:

Holy Jebus.

super_furry

They've got no-one to blame but themselves. The state that the ground has been left in for the last few years is disgraceful. It's such a shame too, because if they ever get their arses in gear and get it finished, I'm pretty sure they'd get full houses every home game.

The_B_Man

wat does it mean by extended planning permission? when i read this i thought they were gonna be able to finish building the ground but couldn't build the extra things they might add in. im guessing along the lines of a shop, or a gym or offices and the like.

does it mean they definately wont be finishing the ground without "extended" planning permission?

Bateman

Happy Christmas Roddy.
If any other club/company/entity made such foolish use of public land over so many years, it would be back in public ownership by now.

thejollyrodger

Rovers suffer another blow in stadium saga

Emmet Malone
Shamrock Rovers officials are awaiting legal advice this morning on how they might salvage their proposed stadium in the heart of Tallaght after planners at South Dublin County Council (SDCC) refused an application for an extension to the project's planning permission.

The decision is a huge blow to the project which has been beset by funding and other problems since its inception some seven years ago.

Initial legal advice provided to the club suggests that no appeal against the decision is possible within the planning process, which leaves Rovers, it seems, with little option but to go to the courts in the hope of having it overturned.

The club's chairman, Tony Maguire, said yesterday he and his fellow directors expect to be given a fuller assessment of the legal impact of the decision by Monday, after which, he hopes, a meeting can be arranged with officials from the council's planning department.

However, he remained defiant in the face of yet another setback, insisting the club would complete the project and establish the stadium at Sean Walsh Park as its permanent home.

"Think about it," he said. "We have a stadium 60 per cent completed and a pitch that is second to none. It's inconceivable that it won't be a soccer stadium and inconceivable that Shamrock Rovers won't play there. The only question remains how we get there."

Maguire conceded, however, that the latest setback to the stadium saga had left him "pretty shook up". He maintained that recently the club had been given reason to believe the extension to the planning permission would be forthcoming, and said he only heard about the refusal on the radio yesterday morning.

"All I can say is that I feel a good deal better about the whole thing now than I did then," he said. "I've spoken to Colin Clarkson (the investor whose promise of financial backing had recently revived hopes that work on the stadium could recommence early in the new year) several times since this morning and he has restated his commitment to the project and his determination to fight this decision.

"This isn't the end of this, that's for sure," he added. "We can't give up fighting now. We'll keep on fighting until Shamrock Rovers are into the stadium for the club's good and the good of Irish football generally."

Clarkson, as it happens, was in Dubai yesterday, reportedly inspecting a stadium that incorporated a number of commercial and other revenue-generating facilities. His plans for the latter stages of the Tallaght development were cited by the planners at SDCC as one of their reasons for refusing the required extension, but perhaps most damaging to the application was that the club had submitted the required paperwork in its own name while technically it does not own the leases to the land in question.

These are in the hands of two companies established after the council had initially provided the land on highly favourable terms for the establishment of a significant sports facility. Maguire said talks aimed at gaining complete control over these so that Clarkson could proceed with his investment in the site were at an advanced stage, but the club appears to have become caught in a chicken and egg situation.

When they made their submission to the council, Rovers' directors believed they had only to persuade the planners that Clarkson, whose total investment is to run to some €8.5 million, had the wherewithal to complete the project. But SDCC, which noted the club's failure to make any progress at all since a 12-month extension was granted last year, pointed out that the Dubliner, despite having reportedly provided more than €100,000 to keep Rovers afloat and a similar amount to pay professional and other fees connected with the stadium development, has no legal link with either the club or the companies which control the site.

Earlier planning difficulties, combined with relentless funding problems, had already led to a scaling back of the proposed sports facilities as well as a proposal to dramatically expand the commercial element of the scheme, although Maguire points out that the latter would require a new planning application.

If yesterday's decision is not overturned, however, then, in planning terms at least, Rovers will be back to square one.

Rovers, meanwhile, have until close of business today to inform the FAI's licensing committee where they will play their home games next season. As of yesterday, after talks with three of their rivals, nothing had been confirmed. With Dublin City set to stay on at Tolka Park, Shelbourne's ground appears to be unavailable, while Bohemians officials said yesterday they would only get around to considering the matter on Monday.

Richmond Park, therefore, appears to be the most likely venue, although St Patrick's Athletic officials, under considerable pressure from residents in Inchicore, have refused to renew the club's tenancy agreement.



© The Irish Times

thejollyrodger

Brillaint News !!

Stadium pantomime to have a happy ending for Rovers
http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=94&si=1310952&issue_id=11869

SHAMROCK ROVERS will get the best possible Christmas present today when South Dublin County Council announce that they are prepared to finish the club's Tallaght stadium themselves.

Having been staring into a dark abyss just a week ago, Rovers are now looking at a happy ending which is most apt given the pantomime that has been performed over the past seven years.

The council will announce later today that they are taking back the two leases given to Mulden International and Sloanepark to assist the building of the stadium.

The directors of Shamrock Rovers acquired a majority shareholding in Sloanepark some time ago and will have no problem handing back that lease after the council informed them earlier this week that they are committed to bringing the club to Tallaght.

However, it remains to be seen if Mulden International will decide to resist the council's attempt to take back their lease. If they don't object then work could resume on the half-finished stadium sometime next year.

Having watched from the sidelines over the past seven years, South Dublin County Council are now determined to finally bring to an end the Tallaght Stadium saga.

Shamrock Rovers were awarded planning permission for the 13 acre site opposite The Square Shopping Centre on January 14, 1998 and Mulden International, who had been in the background, entered the picture on March 24 2000 when, at the request of Rovers, they were granted a 250-year lease by South Dublin County Council.

The lease required Mulden to commence work within six months in accordance with the planning permission already granted but they transfered the obligation to build the stadium to Sloanepark on October 20, 2000 when they leased eight acres of the land for the provision of community, recreational, leisure, social and sporting facilities and associated retail activities.

Mulden also retained a lease on a second site which was where the stadium's car park was planned. Sloanepark were required to commence work within six months and actually started within weeks. Within 12 months the pitch was in place and the main stand was half-built. To date, €4.2million has been spent on the stadium.

However, no work has taken place on the site in three years despite the club receiving a one-year extension to their planning permission to allow them to finish the stadium by October 31, 2004.

Earlier this month the club's application for a further 18-month extension to complete the stadium was rejected by South Dublin County Council.

At that stage, Rovers future looked as bleak as it did the day they left Miltown in 1987 but the council are about to show that they have no intention of abandoning a club that has integrated itself into the community in Tallaght since it made the decision to relocate there.

Exasperated by the failure of Mulden and Sloanepark to fulfill the terms of their respective leases, the council now believe they are legally entitled to withdraw them.

When they agreed to the leases the council were told that by involving the two private companies it would be the quickest way to ensure that the stadium was built.

It also believed that the council were unhappy at the prospect of Mulden International's 250-year lease being purchased by Rovers new investor, property developer Conor Clarkson.

It is understood that the council are prepared to finish off the stadium themselves and lease back a four-acre site to Shamrock Rovers that will encompass the stadium and training pitch.

The club, who in recent months have started to receive substantial financial backing from Clarkson, are believed to be keen to enter into a public-private partnership with the council.

Talks on this are likely to commence once South Dublin County Council has successfully completed the forfeiture of Mulden International's lease.

Rovers chairman Tony Maguire declined last night to comment on the impending announcement by South Dublin County Council but he did confirm that the council are committed to bringing the club to Tallaght.

"The council has confirmed to us that Shamrock Rovers will playing football in Tallaght as soon as the current situation can be resolved," said Maguire last night.

Rovers are hoping that once the stadium situation is resolved they can concentrate on the football side properly and are currently working on attracting a major investor into the club.

But it's the news that South Dublin County Council have finally run out of patience and decided to drive the project forward themselves which will ensure Shamrock Rovers and their fans will have a Happy Christmas this year.

Gerry McDermott

thejollyrodger

Rovers in new blow to stadium

http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=94&si=1347953&issue_id=12139

SHAMROCK ROVERS hopes of finishing building work on their proposed stadium in Tallaght suffered another setback last night after the Dail Public Accounts Committee and Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism called for property developers Mulden International to give up the site's lease.

Also revealed was that the Department wants South Dublin County Council to complete the building work on the 6,000 capacity stadium.

That would put the Government and SDCC on a collision course with Rovers, who along with investor Conor Clarkson, have sought a judicial review of the County Council's decision to reject a new application for planning permission.

Since planning permission was first granted in January 1998, Government grants of almost €2.4 million have been awarded though the stadium remains unfinished with at least a further six months work to be done before it is safe for public use.

The Department's secretary general, Phil Furlong, said that it would be in the interests of all parties for Mulden International to give up the lease and allow SDCC to take control of finishing the project.

Furlong added that extra funds would be made available to SDCC if it were to complete the stadium.

John Curran TD, a member of the PAC, commented: "I know that there could be a judicial review and I fear that, as reviews can, it could drag on and leave the ground idle again. That is the worst case scenario so I hope that Mulden give up the lease."

Shamrock Rovers chairman Tony Maguire said: "It is imperative that we get Shamrock Rovers into a new home for the start of the 2006 season because the club cannot continue indefinitely in the current circumstances."

Owen Cowzer

The saga continues

gandalf

LOL forget about a 40,000 seater we cannot even build a 6,000 seater. Absolutely pathetic. If they were building apartments on it you would be nearly guaranteed they would have minimal problems with getting planning permission.

talla

There was an article in last nights Herald reagrding the setup with the various developers and subcontracts. Everything sounds very dodgy. It appears Mulden International lost all intrest when they were denied planning permision for a hotel beside the stadium. It was also inplied in the same article that Mulden were i fact a subsidary of Shamrock Rovers.

thejollyrodger

South Dublin County Council have to finish the development themselves and be finished with it ! Its only a 6,000 seater stadium, not exactly the Bernabéu FFS.

super_furry

thejollyrodger wrote:

South Dublin County Council have to finish the development themselves and be finished with it ! Its only a 6,000 seater stadium, not exactly the Bernabéu FFS.

That's what they're trying to do but the Rovers board are trying to stop them because they as individuals stand to make money if they go it themselves. It's all to do with the greed of the Rovers board.