An Bord Pleanala decision delayed - Waterford => Dublin Motorway

Bards

Taken from today's (17/08/05) Irish Examiner:
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Fears long-awaited road could be delayed

By Neans McSweeney, South East Correspondent

FEARS are growing that work on the long-awaited Waterford to Kilcullen route could be delayed.

It emerged last night that An Bord Pleanála wants more time to consider objections.

An Bord Pleanála has written to those who made submissions on the 64 km route in the course of a seven-day oral hearing in June, telling them that the recommended decision date of tomorrow, August 18, is to be extended by a further two months.

Under the Planning Act, it is recommended that a decision on an An Bord Pleanála oral hearing would be delivered 18 weeks after the last date for objections.

Now An Bord Pleanála has written to objectors and all involved in the project saying they are extending their decision time to October 18.

Project manager Joe Gannon says they still hope to begin work on the route by June of 2007.

But any further objection, which would have to take the form of a High Court application for a judicial review, could seriously delay the road plan.

“We don’t think that the extension of time by An Bord Pleanála will delay things at this point. Subject to the board giving us the green light, we have begun tendering for archaeological and site investigation and other works.

“It’s normal to do all such preliminary work and having things ready to run. If anyone is not happy with the decision of An Bord Pleanála, then they can take it a step further with a High Court application to seek a judicial review. That could really delay things,” he added.

In the course of the seven-day hearing which began on June 8, 12 presentations were made on the compulsory purchase of lands. A further five presentations were made on the environmental impact statement aspect of the works.

Among those to raise objections were former Olympic gold medallist, Michelle Smith de Bruin, and the Bennettsbridge Action Group.

Waterford Chamber of Commerce president Frank Dolphin said they would be worried by anything which might delay the road plan: “This road is vital to the south east and to the growth of jobs, industry and employment in the region. Everyone must work together to ensure its delivered on time.”

It is hoped that the process of tendering for the main contract will begin next month. Diggers are expected on site for the first phase of the 64km road project in spring 2007. That section of the roadway from Waterford to Knocktopher will take two years to complete.

Work on the second section, from Knocktopher to Powerstown, will begin in the autumn of 2007.

Under the current plan, just two homes will have to be demolished to make way for the road. But a number of farms will be impacted.

The project will be one of the largest road developments ever undertaken in the country. It will involve moving 1 million cubic metres of topsoil and 5.7 million cubic metres of general cut.

Mossy Monk

oh for christs sake

this is getting beyond the joke at this stage

merlante

FFS! So Bord Planala are ****ing us over now then! :mad:

At least, they're giving a fair amount of detail on the plan at this stage, which gives me some confidence that it might actually happen some day!

Marcopolo85

merlante wrote:

FFS! So Bord Planala are ****ing us over now then! :mad:

At least, they're giving a fair amount of detail on the plan at this stage, which gives me some confidence that it might actually happen some day!

Was in Spain a while ago. 6 Km of Motorway laid in two months (from excavations). Roundabouts completed in three days. Why can't the same be done here. The whole 'objection' thing is getting beyond it. Fine to give people the right to 'object', but it's being hijacked by vested interests. And then you have Bord Pleanála humouring them!!

Major infrastructural projects like this should be exempt, as in many other European countries. :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

angry_fox

Doesint make any sense. The whole system needs to be changed. Its even worse that a former drugs cheat is making objections.

trishw78

never fear the WORR from Williamstown to the Cork RD will be open in a couple off weeks & I should know I work for the Company thats building it...

You have to remember that in places like Spain and Europe in general they sometimes work through the night... Is there any Irish Labourers you know that are willing to do that.

merlante

trishw78 wrote:

never fear the WORR from Williamstown to the Cork RD will be open in a couple off weeks & I should know I work for the Company thats building it...

You have to remember that in places like Spain and Europe in general they sometimes work through the night... Is there any Irish Labourers you know that are willing to do that.

Not for free, no.

merlante

angry_fox wrote:

Doesint make any sense. The whole system needs to be changed. Its even worse that a former drugs cheat is making objections.

Cullen tried to change it, but he had to back down...

Yeah, you gotta love these disgraced individuals trying to use their profile to change things. She should be dumped in the same pit of quick-drying cement as McCann.

Marcopolo85

trishw78 wrote:

never fear the WORR from Williamstown to the Cork RD will be open in a couple off weeks & I should know I work for the Company thats building it...

You have to remember that in places like Spain and Europe in general they sometimes work through the night... Is there any Irish Labourers you know that are willing to do that.

Doesn't matter - if that's what it takes....... :rolleyes:

angry_fox

Arent some conpanies hiring labourers from other countries?