Gormley overturned land designation without consultation, court told

ENVIRONMENT Minister John Gormley failed to engage in any adequate consultation with local landowners before issuing directions overturning the designation of lands in Carrickmines as a “district centre”, the Commercial Court has been told.

A district centre allows for a development with considerably more retail floorspace than a “neighbourhood centre,” the designation preferred by the minister. A neighbourhood centre involves a development of small groups of small shops of a local nature serving a small, localised population.

Tristor Ltd, which wants to develop the Park Village as a district centre, has claimed the minister’s directions, unless quashed, will cost 1,500 jobs.