Council approves €365m stadium project

LOCAL residents are to fight against the proposed transformation of Lansdowne Road into a 50,000 all-seater stadium granted planning permission by Dublin City Council yesterday.

The 28 conditions imposed in the planning permission did not go far enough to address the concerns of the local residents, a local councillor said.

The Lansdowne Road Boundary Group was angry and dismayed at yesterday’s decision. Pauline Pomeroy, spokesperson for the group said: “We have always felt that Lansdowne Road stadium would better suit a green field site. We believe that Dublin City Council did not take into account our extensive submission to them in relation to a number of very serious issues.”

She went on to say that the group plan to lodge an objection to An Bord Pleanála with a view to stopping the development of the proposed stadium.

The €365 million project, funded by the IRFU, the FAI and the Government, is projected to start in January of next year with the work due to be completed within a 27-month time frame.

In the wake of yesterday’s decision the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism John O’Donoghue said: “I see this as an important milestone in the realisation of this exciting project which is progressing very much on schedule.

“I join with the IRFU and FAI in looking forward to a bright future in a great new sports stadium. This is a good day for Irish sport. ”

Some months ago, Dublin City Council had requested further information on 43 points of the plan.

Friction between the IRFU and Wanderers, one of the tenant clubs at the venue, had also posed a threat to the startup date of the project.

Labour’s Cllr Kevin Humphreys, welcomed the planning permission. But the 28 conditions imposed in the planning were not enough to address the concerns of local residents such as dust alleviation measures, overshadowing, number of concerts and the utilisation of the back pitch, he said.

“To ensure the speedy completion of the stadium, I am calling on IRFU/FAI must meet with the local residents and deal with their concerns in a realistic manner which they’ve failed to do so far,” Cllr Humphreys said.

FAI Chief Executive John Delaney welcomed the news, saying: “It’s not job done but it’s a significant boost to the project. Within our time frame we’ve allowed for an Bord Pleanála appeal process. We expect to commence work in the first quarter of next year and to have the stadium operational by the middle of 2009. That’s the time frame we set out.”

In a statement the Lansdowne Road Stadium

Development Company said: “We are delighted to have received notification from Dublin City Council of their decision to grant planning permission for the new stadium. It is a significant step on our journey to create a major new piece of sporting infrastructure for Ireland.”

Peter Boyle, President, IRFU said the Irish Rugby Football Union welcomed the council’s decision.

“The importance of this project for the future well being of the whole of Irish rugby can not be overstated.”