NRA Object to Drogheda Ground Plans

**Mr A** · 18/07/2008, 9:55 AM

Drogs stadium plans on hold

July 16, 2008

Drogheda United have been dealt a set back in their bid to build a new state-of-the-art stadium, even though the project had been given the green light by the local authority.

The Drogs and Doyle Development Ltd have plans to build a new stadium with all facilities as well as retail Warehouse Park on a 25,925 hectare site at Bryanstown, Beymore, Co Meath.

Planning permission was granted by the Meath County Council in June, but now the National Roads Authority has appealed to An Bord Pleanala, meaning that the project may well be held up for a long period or stopped altogether.

Full story here: http://www.eleven-a-side.com/premier/news.asp?n=33184

**Duggie** · 18/07/2008, 10:05 AM

unbelievable - there's always one who will oppose development. hope drogs can press on soon.

**GuisaSaigon** · 18/07/2008, 10:07 AM

No Surrender to NRA!

**Fivesilver** · 18/07/2008, 10:10 AM

That bloody Charlton Heston - he just doesn't know when to lay off.

**Redie** · 18/07/2008, 10:29 AM

That bloody Charlton Heston - he just doesn't know when to lay off.

Ya! Even being dead doesn't stop him

**jinxy lilywhite** · 18/07/2008, 10:30 AM

Dissappointment for them again.
If I was an drog official I would be gunning the engineer or architect. Surely they would of known what the NRA recommendations are in relation to developments of this stature or that the NRA would of been consulted.
From the NRA's point of view it is a reasonable concern but there just seems to be always an obstacle against clubs trying to provide proper infrastructural changes to make football better. Its democracy and we live in a democratic society.

**Mr A** · 18/07/2008, 10:41 AM

According to the Drogheda forum the Phoenix carried a story this week saying the project was on the brink of collapse and that the lead developer had walked away.

**holidaysong** · 18/07/2008, 10:51 AM

How long are the FAI going to allow them to continue using United Park?

**Rovers Maniac** · 18/07/2008, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by holidaysong

How long are the FAI going to allow them to continue using United Park?

Is that not that skit/joke newspaper?

**LeixlipRed** · 18/07/2008, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by Rovers Maniac

Is that not that skit/joke newspaper?

Haha, what?? First of all it's a magazine. Secondly why would it make stuff up about EL stadium deals as a joke? It has a humorous tone but is a serious publication.

**HarpoJoyce** · 18/07/2008, 11:40 AM

Originally Posted by LeixlipRed

Haha, what?? First of all it's a magazine. Secondly why would it make stuff up about EL stadium deals as a joke? It has a humorous tone but is a serious publication.

It does consider itself a serious publication. But it is vunerable to a disgruntled or biased source. It is not slow to publish embellishments to justify the article or because it has a big target in it's sights of the Construction/Financial or Legal Industries. And they're just private industries any Public Institutions that get caught up in a story is also welcome. The site is linked to both Louth and Meath C.C.'s it would see itself as Public interest to publish stories that are deterimental to both bodies.

I go along with Jinxy Lilywhite at the moment in that planning processes take time. DUFC have won over two County Councils providing the process can be kept fresh, both should continue to support the club.

**Longfordian** · 18/07/2008, 11:51 AM

Doesn't surpise me. We had plans submitted for developing Flancare a little,they were opposed by the NRA twice whose lead the Council followed. It'll be interesting to see how An Bord Pleanala rules.

**OneRedArmy** · 18/07/2008, 12:07 PM

I can't see any mixed use development getting one cent of funding in the current climate. The NRA are the least of Drogs worries.

At least they still have United Park.

Its interesting how the tables have turned in 6 short months when all these property plays (Bohs, Pats, Drogs) were going to take over the world.

**pete** · 18/07/2008, 12:15 PM

Seems to me a pathetic decision by the NRA. Why wait so long to object as hardly a secret this was planned.

If we do not build facilities next to motorways where do we put them? On rural back roads?

Based my observations of the NRA the years I can say they incompetent at best. Forwad planning is not part of their remit.

**RonnieB** · 18/07/2008, 12:15 PM

Originally Posted by Longfordian

Doesn't surpise me. We had plans submitted for developing Flancare a little,they were opposed by the NRA twice whose lead the Council followed. It'll be interesting to see how An Bord Pleanala rules.

Was that for the development of the shop units Longfordian?

**Longfordian** · 18/07/2008, 12:17 PM

Yeah that's the one. Shop units and bar/restaurant. The shop units were then dropped and the proposal resubmitted and again they objected.

**RonnieB** · 18/07/2008, 12:21 PM

it is always an uphill battle. They would hardly impact on the passing road such is the space infront of the ground.

**jinxy lilywhite** · 18/07/2008, 12:27 PM

The NRA probably held off with their objection until they where consulted. When they weren't going to be consulted they lodged their objection as retaliation. The issue I am led to believe is over parking spaces and matchday traffic. It was said on Oriel web that a specified no of parking spaces need to allocated. One space for every 3 seats. so they need 3-4000 spaces and drogheda only included 500 spaces. They would be worried then of off road parking or even worse parking on the M1 or maybe on the off ramp. I think this is the NRA's gripe but somebody in the planning stages should of known this and should of known the limitations.

On a personal level I know how frustrating it can be when an bord plannala get involved. I had pp for a house in and passed by louth cc only for someone to appeal to an bord pleannla. On six occasion when the hearing was to be made they kept putting it back and delaying their decision by a month at a time. we where advised 4 months but it took 10 months for the feckers to say no. mightn't be until next year until an agreement is reached

**pineapple stu** · 18/07/2008, 12:32 PM

Originally Posted by jinxy lilywhite

3-4000 spaces and drogheda only included 500 spaces. They would be worried then of off road parking or even worse parking on the M1 or maybe on the off ramp. I think this is the NRA's gripe but somebody in the planning stages should of known this and should of known the limitations.

On the East Meath blog page (and it should straight away be noted that the blog contains the line "Can you imaging some bewildered Sligo Town fan arriving in our fair city after a 3 hour drive accross Ireland on a wet Monday in January and looking for the shuttle bus? I can’t", at an error rate of about three per word), it suggests that parking in the town is the main option. It doesn't note that that's what happens at present though, and it bases its objections on a capacity 9000 crowd, which I'm sure we can all agree would be a rarity. It says 300 parking spaces will be available on match day, though, which is still very few.

**pete** · 18/07/2008, 12:37 PM

Originally Posted by jinxy lilywhite

One space for every 3 seats.

Absolutely insanity. If that was the case no new stadium could be built. Fro the plans you can already see that Drosg were asked to place the stadium further away from the roundabout so that traffic did not back up onto.

The NRA has already approved IKEA next to the M50 which carries a lot more traffic than the M1..

It should be remembered the amount of u-turns the NRA have done on their motorway policies - width of central medians, central median barriers, service areas, rest stops on National roads. All these policies were defended for years until they finally did 180.