The ‘common good’ needs more of a voice in planning

There is no doubt that major industrial development projects require robust and accelerated approval processes.

I am sure that many of us will have been dismayed to read the news that the state-of-the-art, environmentally-friendly and energy-efficient data centre that was to be built in Athenry, Co Galway, has not even started construction as yet, despite being announced in February 2015.

However, another plant announced on the very same day for southern Denmark is already at an advanced stage of construction and is expected to be in operation soon.