kite

@bosco wrote:

PTB – echoing my thoughts (pardon the pun!)

As for trams, guided busses, light rail etc… I’ve had a particular gripe I’ve wanted to get off my chest for ages. A few years ago when the first docklands plan became available for download on the city council’s website, I was delighted to see included in it an ambitious but realisable vision for either a light rail or guided bus line. The route shown was running from Mahon, along the old rail line, through the docklands, the city centre, down Western Road, via Victoria cross to Bishopstown and CIT. There were route maps and even a few pictures of trams and a guided bus for good measure.

Now, it seems to me the only major problem in constructing these tram lines or guided bus tracks would be the lack of space available in the city centre and at certain junctions. One of the major junctions along the route is at Victoria Cross, where one would expect a stop to be provided given the number of student apartments in the area. The existing 4 lane road is barely wide enough, in fact it is too narrow to comfortably fit 4 adjacent lanes of traffic when there is a bus or large truck involved. The footpaths are inadequate for the volume of pedestrians (mostly students). Add into the mix a few cars and vans parked on the footpath or side of the road, thanks to that new Centra (awful planning decision in the first place).

Now, where do they propose to squeeze in the light rail lines? Or a guided bus track? Or even a miserly painted bus lane separated from traffic? Meanwhile, a strip of land running alongside this road from the Clinic on Western Road to the Wylam Chinese has come up for redevelopment in some form or another in the past 3 years. While UCC’s IT building is still under construction on the Western Rd, the rest of the land has been blanketed in student apartment developments, all built right out to the edge of the site boundary, leaving no room for widening footpaths or allowing for future needs.

If you live on a boreen in the middle of the country and you wish to alter the entrance to your house or the boundary in any way, there are rules that oblige you to bring the new boundary back a certain distance from the road. Why on earth does the same not apply in the city? Especially at one of the busiest junctions where traffic can be disastrous at rush hour. Where they supposedly plan to provide a public transport corridor in the future? Where the footpaths are completely inadequate for the volumes of pedestrians using them every day?

I just can’t believe there was no way to force the developers to allow even a 5 meter gap between any development and the existing boundary, so that the land could be utilised in the future to widen the road or provide a separated rail/bus track.

Anybody have a clue what I’m talking about? 🙂

Don’t start me bosco,
City Development Plan 4.10 states that;
“A network of Green Routes will be developed for Cork City and environs. Green Routes are high quality public transport and cycling corridors providing high quality bus services in DEDICATED ROAD SPACE WHERE FEASIBLE”
Most Green Routes in Cork are nothing more than imaginary lines in city planners heads.:eek:

😉 Victoria Cross student apartments!, the Spanish Government are demolishing apartments in many areas where dubious planning was granted, maybe our Government could make a similar decision on these “things”?

😎 Paul Montgomery has received the green light for his development at the former Muskerry Service Station (Esso) site on Western Road and to the riverbank of the South Channel of the River Lee subject to the usual “copy and paste” conditions laid down by city planners.

Desire for street-cars in Cork

By Eoin English
A COLOURFUL new concept in public transport was unveiled in Cork yesterday.

Bus Éireann took gardaí, city and county officials on a test drive on board a sleek lilac street-car it hopes to introduce in the city soon.

The striking articulated vehicle, which is described as a tram on wheels, is already in use in York and Leeds in England.

There are also several on order for introduction in Las Vegas in the near future.

Bus Éireann said they hope to introduce the vehicle on a green route in the city on a pilot basis soon.

It is hoped that under the Government’s Transport 21 investment programme, that several more will be ordered for use in Cork.

The street-car can carry up to 118 passengers and is fully wheelchair accessible.

It is a cross between a light rail system and is designed to be able to run on roads or on a guided bus system.

It has a diesel engine but can be easily converted to run on bio-fuels.

The diesel version pulled up outside City Hall yesterday morning where senior city officials and senior gardaí jumped on board.

It then travelled out the link road, negotiated the Kinsale Road roundabout and travelled out to County Hall to collect county officials.

Another short test drive followed before the street car returned to City Hall.

Bus Éireann area manager Joe Fitzgerald said the vehicle, manufactured by Wrights in Ballymena, negotiated some of the city’s narrowest streets with ease.

“It’s a new concept in public transport that’s designed to encourage people out of their cars and into public transport,” he said.

The street car will visit Limerick today and Galway tomorrow for more test drives.

The Government have today instructed the Dublin Airport Authority to assume 120 million of the 220 million dept for the redevelopment of Cork Airport.
Cork Airport will have to service the remaining 100 million.

@THE_Chris wrote:

Idiots.

😮 Thats our “independent” planning appeals board for ya’ ABP!!

Lidl sparks row with councillors over planning

By Eoin English / Irish Examiner
RETAIL giant Lidl sparked a bitter row yesterday by accusing three councillors of interfering in the planning process for political reasons.

In a submission to An Bórd Pleanála, Lidl said it believes that Cork city councillors Jonathan O’Brien (SF), Damien Wallace and Tony Fitzgerald (FF) were “politically motivated” in their objections against a liquor licence for a store it is planing to build on the city’s northside.

The city’s 32 councillors have reacted furiously and are planning to write to Lidl calling on them to substantiate the claims or withdraw the suggestion.

It is the latest twist in Lidl’s two-year campaign to secure a rezoning of industrial land for the store in Churchfield.

The council voted 26 to two in December to rezone the land, clearing the way for the store.

But they attached two conditions as part of the planning — one that prevents the granting of a liquor licence which would allow the sale of wine only, and one directing a change to the location of the entrance road.

Lidl appealed both, along with 16 other conditions imposed by city planners, to An Bórd Pleanála last month.

Details of that appeal lodged on behalf of Lidl by Dublin-based architects Kenny Lane Associates, emerged yesterday.

In it, they single out Cllrs O’Brien, Wallace and Fitzgerald for criticism.

They outlined to the board a previous campaign against a liquor licence sought by a nearby Centra store where residents objected and requested the support of councillors.

The courts refused that licence.

“In order to be consistent, local councillors inserted condition 2a [preventing the liquor licence] as part of our client’s planning permission,” the firm said.

“However, our client feels that the views expressed by local councillors are politically motivated, as they are attempting to be consistent with previous action taken in relation to the Centra Supermarket.

“Our client would further argue that An Bórd Pleanála should not uphold a politically-motivated stance on the liquor licence.”

Mr O’Brien said he was very annoyed with the claim. “This was a decision of the council — not a decision the three of us took on our own,” he said.

“Lidl of course has the right to appeal but they have created an image to the board that this was done by a small number of councillors.”

Mr Fitzgerald said he was elected to represent the views of local people, who want a Lidl store but not one with a liquor licence.

There are more than 20 off-licences in the general Knocknaheeny, Churchfield, Hollyhill and Farranree areas.

There are two secondary schools and three primary schools within walking distance of the proposed store.

But in its appeal, Lidl outlines a range of measures, including a hi-tech CCTV system it says will help prevent underage drinking and anti-social behaviour.

At the meeting of the Housing Functional Committee of 5th Feb. members were informed that Cork City Council are the owners of an area of ground situated at Knockrea Lawn Ballinlough which was acquired by Deed of Waiver from the Chief States Solicitors Office.
The Owner of the adjacent property J.F.C. Development Ltd has made a request to Cork City Council to dispose a Right of Way over part of this land in order to facilitate access to their proposed development. Cork City Council granted permission with conditions under TP 02/26698 to J.F. C. Development Ltd for the construction of 13 residential units plus demolition of existing buildings.

The decision was appealed to An Bord Pleanala (PL28.203328) and after considering submissions An Bord Pleanala granted permission on 18/11/03 for 9 units.

The Report stated that if the City Council is agreeable in principle to disposal of a right of way to J.F.C Developments, with terms and conditions to be agreed, the formal Section 183 notices will be prepared and circulated for consideration by Council.

A declaration of interest in this item was declared by Cllr. C. Burke. Cllr. Burke stated that whilst he had no personal interest in the above, his office is acting as legal advisors to J.F.C. Developments and he deemed it inappropriate to continue to chair or remain at the meeting. Cllr. Tony Fitzgerald was elected to the chair. On the proposal of Cllr. S. Martin and seconded by Cllr. C. Lynch it was agreed to recommend to Council the refusal to the disposal of the Right of Way at Knockrea Lawn, Ballinlough, Cork, to J.F.C. Developments Ltd.

@Dieter wrote:

Why should the Board always accept the Inspector’s recommendation? Would you argue that a judge should always accept police evidence? What is the point in having a Board if they can be bullied by tabloid reporting into accepting the Inspector’s view?

Why have inspectors visit a site, see firsthand the pros and cons of granting or refusing permission only to have the decision made by “the flip of a coin” in Dublin by people who may not be able to pick Cork out on a map?
A judge has all the facts before him or her and has to be fully trained in law.
Not so with ABP whose members may be nothing more than the greyhound trainer of some Government Minister.

@Praxiteles wrote:

Something form the quondam Cork Examiner of 7 February 2007:

07 February 2007

Council has a duty to keep citizens informed

WITH reference to your article on refuse charge rebates (Irish Examiner, January 17), I took the case for refund of fees against Cork City Council under Section 40 (1) of the Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act 1980.

The council has a duty to inform not only me but all of its account-holders of a change in the terms of collection of refuse before it receives payment for providing the service.

The city manager is incorrect when he says mine was a special case with “specific circumstances”.

The very same case and circumstances apply to all those who availed of the discount, 15,420 account-holders other than myself.

The judge in the Small Claims Court made it perfectly clear to city council representatives on the day that I was due the refund under the 1980 Act.

I believe all who paid by the date the council set are entitled to a rebate, and Cllr Catherine Clancy’s reason for calling for a rebate was to avoid the Small Claims Court being swamped with claims………
……………………..

:rolleyes: Absolutely no surprise there Praxiteles, and now Mr.Gavin has made an order dated 8th Feb. imposing a 290 euro fee per 100 dry recycling bags (150 euro for 50).
Some city managers treat Judges and Councillors like something they dragged onto their best carpet on the sole of their shoe.
Not even High Court Judges are exempt from the contempt of some officials, a free dry recycling bag for the first to name the Galway official mentioned in the following case http://www.bailii.org/ie/cases/IEHC/2001/53.html

The ABP public hearing regarding City Manager, Joe Gavin’s wish to CPO the showgrounds site may now be irrelevant as the manager has been asked to confirm to Council (next Monday) that negotiations with the Munster Agricultural Society have concluded and that CCC have acquired the property.