THE recent decision to designate the RDS in Ballsbridge as the preferred site for a national conference centre would not entail any change in the controversial scheme to redevelop the Phoenix Park Racecourse, the developers told a public inquiry yesterday.
Dr Brian Meehan, planning consultant for the developers said a major conference centre remains part of the scheme - which also includes a stadium, indoor arena, hotel and casino. "Nothing is being deleted from the plan. It's the whole package, or nothing", he said.
Sonas Centre Ltd, previously Ogden Entertainments (Ireland) Ltd - is appealing against a decision by Fingal County Council to refuse planning permission for the scheme, variously valued at between £300 million and £400 million, mainly on zoning grounds. Altogether, there were nearly 20,000 objections.
Among those present at the first day of the hearing were two Ministers of State and local TDs, Ms Joan Burton and Mr Austin Currie, as well as Mr Liam Lawlor TD (FF), who also represents Dublin West. All three oppose the development.
Mr Norman Turner, chief executive of Sonas Centre Ltd said the recent cancellation of a competition to provide an independent conference centre showed such a project was not viable. It was only when it was incorporated into a major integrated development that a conference centre could be built at minimum cost to the State.
He said that the company had reached an agreement with the IRFU through which it and the FAI would hold all major international rugby and soccer matches in the proposed 63,000 seat stadium from 1999 onwards. There was also a "contractually binding agreement" with ITT Sheraton to run the proposed 349 bedroom hotel, the casino and conference centre.
Mr Bob Cotter, ITT Sheraton's chief operating officer for Europe, said the scheme would create 2,000 full time and 1,000 part time jobs. Having examined other potential sites, such as the RDS in Ballsbridge, his company had concluded that the racecourse was "the most appropriate".
Asked by Mr John Reid, planning consultant for the West Dublin Action Group, about the size of the proposed casino - which, at 70,000-square feet, would be the largest in Europe - he said it must be large enough "to attract the right kind of volume to meet our revenue projections".
Mr John McGarry, of Deloitte and Touche management consultants, presented the conclusions of an economic impact study which calculated that the construction phase of the development would benefit Ireland's GNP by £420 million and create around 3,000 jobs. When operational, the GNP impact of the Sonas Centre was "conservatively estimated" at £89 million per annum.
Mr Derek Dockrell, of architects Burke Kennedy Doyle and Partners, said the scheme was a comprehensive development for entertainment and leisure purposes, to a standard not available in Ireland.
He said the major buildings on the site had been located as far away from nearby housing as possible. It would also be used for only 12 sporting events per year, only half of which would attract a full capacity crowd.
When this was queried by the presiding inspector, Mr Simon Clear, the architect responded by saying that there were "only a small number of matches per year when you could expect to fill a stadium of this size". An assurance was also given to the hearing by Mr Philip O'Sullivan SC, for, the developers, that his clients have no intention to use it for open air concerts".
Dealing with parking requirements, Mr John Higgins, of consultant engineers Ove Arup and Partners, said the provision of four "remote" car parks from which shuttle buses would carry spectators to major events, in order to avoid causing massive congestion locally, could be stipulated by An Bord Pleanala as a condition, as had been done in the case of Croke Park.
Dr Meehan, in his submission, cited several major precedents where permission was granted by the planning authorities for major developments on lands zoned for recreational open space.
In his view, the planning refusal from Fingal County Council, following a decision by the councillors to reject it, did not object to the proposed development in principle, merely to its "scale, extent and location". He also maintained that the scheme was in conformity with other objectives of the county development plan, particularly on tourism and employment.
The hearing continues today.
