Planning procedures may delay sport centre

The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, this week expressed his determination to proceed with the development of Sports Campus Ireland - he wants the aquatic and leisure centre part to be built in time for the Special Olympics Summer Games to be held in Dublin in 2003. But the Taoiseach may find his £300 million project provides an instructive example of the malaise affecting the planning process. With just three years to see the centre to completion, the Taoiseach has left himself a very tight schedule.

The new soccer stadium is another case in point. The FAI lodged its planning application with South Dublin County Council last October. Almost a year later, the county council has reached a decision contingent on 40 separate conditions. One is that a comprehensive survey of air safety, in relation to concerns about Baldonnel, be undertaken. The Department of Defence was instant in its reference to An Bord Pleanala: it is expected to be equally instant in its reference to the courts if An Bord Pleanala does not uphold its view.

Given that it took at least a year from inspiration to planning application, almost another year (11 months) to planning decision, and still no start date for construction is fixed, the Taoiseach's timetable could be described as ambitious.

Then there is the £1.5 billion Ballymun regeneration project, which promises to be a showcase of urban regeneration. The first phase of new homes is being built, phase two should be ready for occupation by 2002 subject to the planning process.

It seems incredible that work to correct the serious social exclusion which was created by Ballymun - which involved community participation at every possible stage and has the overwhelming support of the local community and the Government - must again be subjected to the tortuous planning process.

But it must. And already there are mumblings of planning objections to phase two. At the launch last Sunday, residents of the towers were discussing threats from existing householders to "go all the way to the Supreme Court" if the new homes had back windows overlooking their properties. The long-awaited prospect of the 15-storey towers being torn down may not be seen soon. The Taoiseach Mr Ahern has floated the idea of a division of the High Court to hear planning cases quickly. He has also indicated that the Government might consider a constitutional amendment and he has set up a cabinet sub-committee on infrastructure to seek solutions to the planning bottlekneck.