Cost of land cannot be a yardstick – The Irish Times
Today’s Irish Times continues their coverage of the An Bord Pleanála hearing into Seán Dunne’s proposals for his site in Ballsbridge. They cover Dermot’s contribution to the hearing as their leader on the subject:
THE PRICE paid for land cannot be allowed to become the “yardstick” by which planning decisions are made, Labour city councillor Dermot Lacey has told the Bord Pleanála hearing on developer Seán Dunne’s high-rise plans for Ballsbridge.
The decision of Dublin city planners to grant permission for the development of the former Jurys-Berkeley Court land, bought by Mr Dunne for €380 million three years ago, was “a gross act of defiance” against the wishes of the city councillors, Mr Lacey said.
“The intensity of the proposed development is apparently necessary because of the huge price paid for the land. If the cost of land becomes the yardstick for planning decisions, we might as well throw out all the planning laws and get rid of the development plan.”
The 37-storey tower was “completely out of character” with the area and two 15-storey towers had “no artistic merit whatsoever, they are simply blocks of concrete”, Mr Lacey said.
You can see the full story at irishtimes.com.
