RESIDENTS living in the vicinity of Croke Park are
angry but
“unsurprised
? that rooftop tours have been given the green light by
An Bord Pleanala.
The planning board rubberstamped the project earlier
this month despite objections and appeals by local residents.
The plan will allow for visitors to take a tour at the
summit of the stadium, which is the height of a 14-storey building, while being
tied to a harness for safety reasons.
There will be five viewing platforms: at the Cusack
Stand facing east; the Cusack Stand facing south-east; the Davin Stand facing
south; the Hogan Stand facing south-west; and the Hogan Stand facing west, as
well as a pitch-viewing cabin.
The plan represents a e1 million investment by Croke
Park and will see the creation of 10 jobs in return for an expected additional
e150,000 a year boost in revenue for the stadium each year.
Peter McKenna, director of Croke Park, described the
approval as
“fantastic news
? as it will provide a
“tremendous attraction
? for
the city.
“We will be creating employment and investing e1
million in the stadium,
? he told Northside People.
“We are very pleased to add a new feature to the
city’s streetscape.
?
Mr McKenna acknowledged that there had been some
opposition to the plan but argued that the stadium was investing money and
creating jobs in a
“very, very depressed economy
?.
“This is a very valuable project that that the wider
community will benefit from,
? he said.
Eamon O’Brien of the Croke Park Streets Committee said
he and many other locals have lost faith in the planning process as a result of
the approval.
“I have no faith in An Bord Pleanala because it seems
that every application that Croke Park submits gets approved,
? he told
Northside People.
“Croke Park is totally at loggerheads with the
community and these rooftop tours are of no benefit to us.
“They will just cause disruption to the lives of those
living in the vicinity of the stadium.
?
Meanwhile, Pat Gates of the Croke Park Residents’
Alliance said his group had objected to the rooftop tours plan on the basis of
privacy issues.
“The plan will inevitably lead to disruption and we
all have our opposition to tourists being able to overlook our houses,
? he
stated.
“I mean, what’s Croke Park becoming?
?
To counteract any privacy issues for residents, in
granting approval for the rooftop tours An Bord Pleanala directed that they be
permanently fixed at an angle to allow for long distance and panoramic views
only.