Ireland round-up: First fast-tracked major housing scheme part-approved by An Bord Pleanála; Amazon proposing another major data centre for Dublin?

A round-up of planning news in Ireland: 6 January-12 January, 2018
First fast-tracked major housing scheme part-approved by An Bord Pleanála
An Bord Pleanála has determined the first application decided under the new fast-track regime for major housing and student accommodation schemes.
The Planner
Amazon proposing another major data centre for Dublin?
Amazon has refused to comment to The Planner on a report in the Irish Independent that the online retail giant is proposing to build yet another huge data centre in the capital involving an 8,822 facility near an existing scheme in the south Dublin suburb of Tallaght.
Irish Independent
Bord chairman urges action on urban sprawl
Local authorities are failing to curb urban sprawl and national guidelines are needed to help planners decide if large-scale solar farms are acceptable, An Bord Pleanála chair Dr Mary Kelly has insisted in articles in the Irish Independent, which also included a call for data centres to be designated as strategic infrastructure.
Irish Independent
The US-based Hines group has entered into a joint venture with Dutch pension investor APG Asset Management to develop and retain a substantial number of flats and ancillary retail facilities at the Cherrywood development in south Dublin.
Irish Times
Aldi cries foul over rival‘s objections
German discount giant Aldi says it has been subject to ‘resistance and obstruction from other retailers’, such as its rivals Tesco and SuperValu, which have in recent years objected to a slew of its planning applications nationwide.
Irish Times
Flat costs fall if blocks go higher
The head of one of Ireland’s biggest homebuilders has said the cost of apartments in Dublin could be cut by about 20 per cent if they could construct residential blocks of up to nine storeys in the city centre.
Irish Times
Dublin city councillors have voted to spend €500,000 to lower and reface part of the recently built flood defence sea wall in Clontarf, despite being warned it will have to be rebuilt in the future.
Irish Times
Minister for rural and community development Michael Ring has approved €2.2 million in funding for grants to improve walking and cycling trails throughout the country.
Irish Times
Green light for County Wicklow water scheme
An Bord Pleanála has upheld the county council’s decision to grant planning permission for an upgrade of one of Dublin’s key water supplies, the Vartry reservoir near Roundwood in County Wicklow, which had been opposed by fishery interests.
Irish Times
Fast-track flood scheme planning warning
Flooding minister Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran has warned local authorities that they will lose out on funding for flood defence schemes unless they fast-track projects.
Irish Independent
Cork office and hotel scheme appealed
Proposals for a 11,150-square metre office block and landmark 193- bedroom hotel on Sullivan’s Quay in Cork have been appealed to An Bord Pleanála.
Irish Independent
A planning activist and serial objector has appealed plans for the construction of a 38,000-tonne rock barrier at US president Donald Trump’s Doonbeg golf resort.
Irish Times
County Mayo nature reserve project
Mayo County Council has acquired Moorehall House and Estate from state forestry agency Coillte and plans to turn the ancestral home of president of the Republic of Connacht John Moore, and the renowned Moore family of writers, into a ‘nationally important’ nature reserve and tourist attraction overlooking Lough Carra.
Irish Times
Vacant sites registers draw a blank
Two Dublin local authorities have failed to list any properties on the register of vacant sites that was set up a year ago to stop the hoarding of land that could be used for housing.
Irish Times
Cork was a significant centre for Vikings in Ireland with an urban centre that predates the Viking settlement in Waterford, a new report on the excavation of the city’s event centre has revealed.
Irish Times
More than 370 vacant houses and apartments have been bought using a €70 million fund, established a year-and-a-half ago, to provide 1,600 homes for social housing by 2020.
Irish Times
Fianna Fáil moots state housing authority
Creation of a new state authority to drive the construction of 90,000 homes is set to be a key plank of the Fianna Fáil manifesto at the next general election.
Irish Times
Workshop on updated design guidance for flats
The Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government is holding a half-day workshop on the draft updated guidance on design standards for flats at the Custom House, Dublin on Friday 26 January.
Irish Government
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