David 1, Goliath 0
On Wednesday, 4th April, An Bord Pleanala – Ireland’s Planning Board – decided unanimously to refuse permission to Pizarro Developments to build on the floodplain downriver from our community. Their decision was posted on the Board’s website at http://www.pleanala.ie/DCT/217/S217906.DOC on Tuesday last.
Pizarro had submitted four applications for the same site, two for an area of the site that extends into our neighbouring ‘county’ of Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown, and two to Bray Town Council. One of the latter was for high density construction on the floodplain, rezoned by our Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, and Labour councillors as Town Centre.
An Bord Pleanala took the view that all four applications should be considered together, as they are inseparable in reality. The reasons given for the unanimous decision were that:- 1) the flood defence works promised ‘in lieu’ of the floodplain, which both Bray Town Council and the developers maintained would render the floodplain unnecessary as a safety measure, have not yet been passed (nor even seen) by An Bord Pleanala, nor has an EIS been carried out on them; 2) no road layout has been worked out for the area, nor has a town traffic management plan been put in place, despite the fact that the proposed development included over 3,000 car parking spaces; and 3) “adequate provision has not been made for active open space” and therefore the development “would seriously injure the amenities of the area and of future residents and would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area”.
For our community, who have fought this lunacy for two years now, it is a huge victory of David over Goliath. We know almost certainly there will be further battles to be won before we are truly safe from the greed for development of this land at all costs, but – perhaps – at long last sanity will prevail and the buildings will be moved back to high ground, with the park and playing pitch, and the extra space required by An Bord Pleanala, preserved alongside our river. If not, we will fight on…
As John, one of our core group, remarked: “The thing about fighting Goliath is that he’s so big a target he’s almost impossible to miss!” John is a wheelchair user and was a potent presence at the Oral Hearing into Pizarro’s plans – and our Council’s acquiescence.
Most of what needs to happen now depends on our politicians finally admitting that they got it seriously wrong, and that they need now to compensate for that fact. We need our local councillors to return the land to its original safe zoning, and to finally put in place a proper Emergency Plan in case of flooding. And we need our national politicians to commit to paying for these flood defence works so that the integrity of the floodplain is not compromised.
Next month a General Election will be held in Ireland. It’s a time when politicians tend to listen to David…
That’s great news! Congrats =)