Auctioneer calls for halt to ‘serial objectors’

NEW legislation is needed to combat the potentially damaging economic impact created by ‘serial objectors’, an auctioneer has said.

Groups or individuals should not be allowed to wage campaigns of sustained opposition to development, according to Waterford-based auctioneer, Des Purcell, of Purcell Properties.

He wants to see new legislation enacted which would limit the number and scope of objections which any individual can lodge.

Mr Purcell said he was prompted to launch this campaign as a result of the “alarming” increase in the number of objections to many types of developments lodged in particular by a member of the Green Party in Waterford, Brendan McCann.

“I want to make it clear that I have absolute respect for every citizen’s right to object to any planning application. But I believe that serious economic damage has been done to this city by persistent planning objections,” said Mr Purcell.

During the period of January to mid-August 2006, Brendan McCann lodged observations or objections to 30 applications.

Mr McCann said: “I stand over the content of every submission I have made ... The comments directed towards me are worrying and I would hope that they would not discourage anyone else from getting involved in the planning process.”

A spokesperson for the Department of the Environment said that public participation is a fundamental part of the planning system and it is not proposed to alter the facility for any person to make a submission (on payment of €20) and to have it taken into account by the planning authority.