Drogheda's plan ended

**Mr A** · 01/05/2009, 9:01 AM

From the Irish Times:

ANY LINGERING hopes that Drogheda United might successfully revive their plans to move to a new 10,000-seat stadium on the edge of the town were killed off yesterday when An Bord Plean�la refused permission for the development.

The stadium was to be part of a larger scheme that included retail units, a sports centre and a service station while the developer who was providing the necessary funding was also hoping to build a large number of homes on an adjacent site.

The plans for the housing element were hit by the refusal of councillors to rezone the required land late last year while the NRA objected to the proposed development at Bryanstown, just south of Drogheda, on the basis that it believed it might interfere with plans for the Dublin Outer Orbital Route.

Full story: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...245757430.html

Once again this exposes the farcical nature of licensing last year. Everyone knew this project was dead, and DUFC had said so publicly, yet the project was accepted by the Licensing Board to allow Drogheda to continue in the premier division.

It would seem that few is any ground improvements are necessary to get a license as long as you keep lobbing in planning applications, however far-fetched.

**pete** · 01/05/2009, 9:52 AM

...the NRA objected to the proposed development at Bryanstown, just south of Drogheda, on the basis that it believed it might interfere with plans for the Dublin Outer Orbital Route.

I know Drogs made enough mistakes but objecting on the basis of something that might be built in 25 years is ridiculous.

**holidaysong** · 01/05/2009, 9:56 AM

Shocking news..

**GalwayRed** · 01/05/2009, 10:09 AM

We all knew this plan was dead already, Drogheda knew and admitted it wasnt going to happen but still the FAI were willing to give them a licence on the basis that they had applied for permission to build the ground even though they had no hope of it being accepted.
Once again showing up the farce that is licencing.

**pineapple stu** · 01/05/2009, 10:29 AM

Originally Posted by pete

I know Drogs made enough mistakes but objecting on the basis of something that might be built in 25 years is ridiculous.

Where are you getting 25 years from?

If they have a medium- or long-term plan to build a road of national importance, it doesn't make sense to allow major building work willy-nilly on the site they've scheduled.

**A N Mouse** · 01/05/2009, 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by GalwayRed

We all knew this plan was dead already, Drogheda knew and admitted it wasnt going to happen but still the FAI were willing to give them a licence on the basis that they had applied for permission to build the ground even though they had no hope of it being accepted.
Once again showing up the farce that is licencing.

Yes, but now they'll be relegated on footballing grounds [boom, boom]. never to return from the graveyard unless they do something about their ground.

And realistically what was the alternative, replace them with a team that would, likely, be just as competitive?

**monutdfc** · 01/05/2009, 10:57 AM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Where are you getting 25 years from?

If they have a medium- or long-term plan to build a road of national importance, it doesn't make sense to allow major building work willy-nilly on the site they've scheduled.

It never stopped them before - shopping centres all along the route of the M50 (Dundrum, Blanchardstown, Liffey Valley (at the M4/M50 Junction!), IKEA (although in fairness the NRA did object); land banks held by FF supporters on the route of the M3 (Ireland on Sunday 2005-10-09, not online), hotels and retail parks on the M1. I would cynically say that the right political connections were not in place.
In the UK there is strict planning regarding motorways, even service stations cannot be too attractive so that they do not generate traffic. In Ireland Noel Dempsey appoints his cousin, a Navan Estate Agent, to the board of the NRA as they building the M3.

The Outer Orbital Road is a crazy plan anyway

**SMorgan** · 01/05/2009, 11:16 AM

This leaves the FAI looking like complete fools. It was stated in the recent QA session that the FAI used the fact that this matter was before An BP to give Drogheda a licence, even though everybody knew it was dead. Also reading the Insportors report shows how much pie-in-sky stuff this whole project was. To seriously suggest that most people attending a big match would either, walk get the bus or cycle was totally delusional. The posters that said that this was only about the future of the road network should go and read the Inspector's report.

Now what?

**pineapple stu** · 01/05/2009, 11:33 AM

Originally Posted by monutdfc

I would cynically say that the right political connections were not in place.

Cynic away; it's my language.

That said, if it's political connections getting the projects go-aheads, that doesn't mean the NRA were wrong to object.

**JC_GUFC** · 01/05/2009, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by GalwayRed

We all knew this plan was dead already, Drogheda knew and admitted it wasnt going to happen but still the FAI were willing to give them a licence on the basis that they had applied for permission to build the ground even though they had no hope of it being accepted.
Once again showing up the farce that is licencing.

Have you not just said exactly what the original poster said?!

You've hardly even changed the wording of it!

**Black and White** · 01/05/2009, 1:01 PM

How in the name of god where they able to go ahead with this after everything that happened over the festive period!Have they got Super Bank Accounts or sumit that start to magically make money when they want it to be made?

**pete** · 01/05/2009, 1:28 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Where are you getting 25 years from?

If they have a medium- or long-term plan to build a road of national importance, it doesn't make sense to allow major building work willy-nilly on the site they've scheduled.

Given the financial state of the country little chance that road will be given the go ahead for a very long time. I presume they don't have a route for that road yet otherwise for consitency sake they would have to block development alongside that land used for the road. AFAIK they are just planning to join the outer ourbital road at that junction which implies they could easily move it. Anyway Drogs have not fallen on that issue.

Where does this leave Drogs? In the unlikely event they don't get relegated on the pitch I guess this means they would get relegated off the pitch?

It would be a waste of money to even attempt to develop Hunky Dory Park.

**pineapple stu** · 01/05/2009, 1:29 PM

The initial rejection was a couple of years ago, wasn't it? Sure we all know that no-one could have foreseen the recession.

The decision leaves the FAI to do up United Park, presumably.

**Mr A** · 01/05/2009, 1:44 PM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

The initial rejection was a couple of years ago, wasn't it? Sure we all know that no-one could have foreseen the recession.

The decision leaves the FAI to do up United Park, presumably.

But hold on, the FAI can't spend money just to assist one club getting a license can they?

**Ronnie** · 01/05/2009, 2:19 PM

If the FAI do build it, I guess any club who the FAI insisted had to upgrade their grounds can look forward to similar back dated largesse?

**pineapple stu** · 01/05/2009, 2:29 PM

Nope, cos it's the FAI.

Also, the nonsense excuse that it's the FAI's own ground Drogheda aren't maintaining.

**geysir** · 01/05/2009, 2:47 PM

Originally Posted by pete

I know Drogs made enough mistakes but objecting on the basis of something that might be built in 25 years is ridiculous.

To be more precise on the basis that it believed it might
interfere with plans for the Dublin Outer Orbital Route.

Either is does interfere with the route of a planned road, or it doesn't. An objection based on a belief of a maybe, is as thin as you get.

Isn't 25 years a bit too optimistic?