Local residents groups call for full review of ABP decisions

Several local community groups around Dublin are calling for a complete review of granted planning proposals following the decision by Minister Darragh O’Brien to pass a report into the running of An Bord Pleanala over to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and An Garda Síochana.

The DPP will examine the report and determine if a criminal prosecution should be undertaken against former chair of the planning board Paul Hyde.

Controversies surrounding ABP and the investigation into decisions made by some of its board members has motivated local groups around the county to call for a full review of contentious planning approvals.

James Connolly Heron, a spokesperson for the Moore Street Preservation Trust has said that the planning board is “not fit for purpose” and should not decide the future of the historic Moore Street which is set to be redeveloped by developers Hammerson.

“The current board should be stood down,” he says.

“In the meantime all decision making by the current board on appeals in hand must be suspended in the planning and public interest pending investigations by the appropriate authorities.”

The Bullock Harbour Preservation Association has also raised concerns about the validity of the decision process regarding a planning application for Bullock Harbour.

An Bord Pleanala has deferred the decision on an application filed by Bartra for the former Western Marine site at the harbour.

A previous similar application was approved by ABP before being overturned during a judicial review.

“Under the circumstances, it has seemed reasonable to us to write to the chair of the Bord requesting information on the detail of the decision to award planning permission for the previous Bartra planning application – that’s the decision which led to our request for a judicial review in 2019,” the BHPA said in a statement.

“You will recall that in July 2020 the Bord decided not to defend this case before the judicial review could proceed. We await a response,” the group said.

The Monkstown Abbey Road Residents Association (MBRRA) and Bakers Corner Residents Association, which are appealing ABP’s decision to approve a student accommodation project for Bakers Corner in Kill-O-The Grange, asked Minister O’Brien to “suspend and re-examine all decisions signed by him.

“The Minister and Government must accept that community objections to An Bord Pleanala decisions were valid responses to serious flaws in Strategic Housing Development legislation and not a result of so-called ‘Nimbyism’,” Marc Coleman, a spokesperson for the MBRRA said.

Independent Senator Victor Boyhan has called on An Bord Pleanala to immediately publish its own internal review of all cases subject to investigations.

“I have some concerns about the organisational review of An Bord Pleanála ordered by the Minister given the close working relationship between the Office of the Planning Regulator and the ABP,” Senator Boyhan said.

“Minister Darragh O’Brien said the OPR will carry out an independent organisational review of An Bord Pleanala.

“It will involve independent planning experts from other jurisdictions, again we would need to hear from the Minister on the detail.

I would welcome an early meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the issue.”