Re: Re: well what about the developments popping up in the shannonside ?

Redemptorist Monastry and Lands

CLLR JIM LONG QUITS COMMITTEE (Limerick Leader)

By ANNE SHERIDAN 18 September 2007

FINE Gael’s Cllr Jim Long resigned from the City Council’s planning and development committee last night, after accusing the planning department of “collusion, dictatorship and a lack of transparency”.

His party colleague Cllr Kevin Kiely said he was “flabbergasted” after Cllr Long, the elected deputy mayor, resigned from the committee. “It’s a very serious situation where a representative has to resign from their position to highlight their grievances,” said Cllr Kiely.

At this Monday night’s meeting, Cllr Long said he believes elected representatives are being deliberately excluded from a meeting between residents and city planners this Thursday regarding a major proposed residential development on the South Circular Road.

A meeting was scheduled to take place this Thursday between all three groups, however the Council have now arranged for two separate meetings this week.

Ward councillors and planners will meet on Wednesday, while residents opposed to the plans by the Redemptorist Order will now face Council officials on Thursday, without the backing of their ward councillors. Cllr Long said he believes this “is completely unacceptable.”

A letter from City Hall’s senior planner Dick Tobin on September 14 informed councillors: “It is proposed to meet with members of the public on Thursday, September 20, without ward councillors being present.”
But the head of planning, John Field, said after last night’s meeting that the talks organised for later this week “were effectively split” to accommodate all parties. During the meeting Mr Field said “I’d like Cllr Long to expand on his allegations. I’m not sure what he’s referring to.”

But Cllr Long said this is not the only issue he has with the planning department. “Some of the decisions taken by the Council horrify me and some cases are being taken in favour of the developers,” he told the Limerick Chronicle, after walking out of meeting.

The meeting was adjourned and then postponed by the chairman of the committee, Labour’s Cllr Kieran Walsh, as only four of the ten members of the committee were present. 😮

Cllr Joe Leddin, Labour, who is not a member of the economic policy committee, said he believes it is standard protocol for councillors to discuss a major development in advance of discussions with residents. He said he believed the meeting was called for councillors to discuss the recent traffic report undertaken by the City Council regarding the impact this development could have on the South Circular Road area.

Sixteen residents have lodged objections against the Redemptorists’ plans to build almost 300 homes on the South Circular Road. A decision on the planning application is expected by November 11.

Photo courtesy Derek Sun

Narrow roadway! (South Circular Road / Upper Henry Street)