There are major question marks over the feasibility of the Vega City scheme, writes Liam Reid
The images in yesterday morning's newspapers said it all - it is an idea that is almost too good to be true.
Illustrating the new details about the proposed world-class theme park in many papers were pictures of happy children and families on wonderful rides.
As part of the battle to win public and political support for the biggest building project ever mooted in this country, one of the project's financial backers - a small merchandising company - broke cover in an effort to prove it was not an incredible project.
Despite the positive images and endorsements, however, there is rising scepticism and criticism surrounding the proposals - that the project is not only unfeasible, but would also cost the exchequer billions in additional infrastructure costs.
Green Party Leader, Mr Trevor Sargent, in whose constituency the proposed park is to be located, has serious reservations. He fears that it could ultimately prove to be a Trojan horse for a smaller commercial development.
"The people of North Dublin have been led up the garden path before with promises about public facilities.
"At the early planning stages of the Pavillions shopping centre in Swords, locals were told they would have a cinema in the complex, but they are still waiting with one arm as long as the other with no cinema in sight."
Representatives of Vega City have stressed that there are no plans for housing and shopping developments as an alternative to the theme park.
According to a spokesman for the consortium, most of the firms involved are in entertainment, and housing developments are of no interest to them. "They want to build a holiday destination in Europe. This is the only reason these guys are interested in this project."
The plans of the consortium, United Entertainment Partners (UEP) are hugely ambitious. Along with four separate theme parks, the project would also include the world's longest monorail, 300,000 square metres of retail space, 10,000 apartments and 14 hotels - making Ireland the largest family-entertainment holiday destination in Europe.
However, Mr Sargent believes that, even with the best of intentions from the current developers, that is no guarantee.
"Maybe I'm being cynical or a bit unfair, but one cannot blame people for being suspicious. Once planning permission has been granted, the developers would have the option to sell the land on to another developer if the plans for a theme park became uneconomical."
Mr Sargent believes that once indicative planning permission had been granted, another development would be difficult to refuse.
The proposal has received the support of some locals and politicians, but planners in the Fingal area believe there are serious credibility issues surrounding the plan.
In a report published yesterday, they said the number of international visitors would necessitate Dublin airport having 60 million passengers per year, seven million more than use Heathrow airport at present.
Planners believe it would also "clog up" the new M1 motorway, and the State would effectively have to build a new northern motorway to alleviate congestion caused by the park.
It would also require legislative change to planning regulations limiting the size of certain commercial projects.
Mr Louis Maguire, managing director of UEP, has claimed that around €2.5 billion had already been secured to progress with the first phase of the project. He has refused to reveal the identity of the backers of the consortium, which is chaired by Cork property developer Mr Owen O'Callaghan.
A spokesman for the consortium said that, apart from Oz Central, 18 well-known corporations - including some of the largest entertainment firms in the world - are backers.
Their names will be revealed once UEP receives a positive response from Fingal County Council that the proposal was being taken seriously.
There is little chance of this occurring, however.
Councillors are due to receive two briefings from planners and UEP on Monday about the proposals.
Fingal county manager, Mr Willie Soffe, has already indicated he believes the project to be unsustainable. Planning permission is an executive function and it will be the decision of Mr Soffe and planners, and ultimately An Bord Pleanála, as to whether the plan is approved.