Up to 260 civil servants will have a permanent base in Carlow after An Bord Pleanála granted the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment permission for new offices in the town centre.
With approximately 100 staff from the department already working out of temporary offices on the O’Brien Road, local councillors welcomed the decision as a victory over persistent objectors.
The new development will be constructed on an existing car park beside Carlow town hall, bounded by Centaur Street and Coxes Lane.
It will consist of a five-storey office building overlooking the river Barrow to house 260 civil servants in the DETE relocated under the government’s decentralisation programme, including the 100 currently working on the O’Brien Road.
A multi-storey carpark providing up to 400 spaces is also included, with 150 spaces earmarked for public parking in a submission from the developers and a further 250 spaces available on weekends.
Carlow Town Council approved the planning application in June last year, but that decision was appealed by An Taisce to the planning board in August 2007.
The appeal questioned the validity of the application on the grounds of ownership and suggested a conflict of interest as the planning authority were owners of the site.
There were also concerns over the provision of public parking during the construction phase, the scale and height of the development and the effect it would have on traffic in the area.
However, An Bord Plaenála’s inspector decided to grant the planning permission under certain conditions and this decision was upheld by the board.
The conditions attached to the permission include a commitment to an archaeological appraisal of the site and the loss of one storey of the multi-storey carpark.
Local councillors welcomed the decision which could see 300 jobs created in the construction phase and secure a permanent base for 260 civil servants in the town.
“We have to welcome this landmark decision,” said Cllr Rody Kelly.
“Jobs will be created in the immediate construction of the premises and there will be a spin-off for local businesses. It is very harrowing to see the number of jobs that are being lost.
“This is a huge facility for the town and a potential spanner was thrown in the works but thankfully that spanner didn’t derail it.”
That spanner was the objection which came from An Taisce and other individuals and councillors were vocal in their condemnation.
Cllr Declan Alcock proclaimed that “An Taisce is still alive and kicking” in Carlow, while Cllr Ann Ahern railed against the “irresponsible behaviour of people who feel they have the right to come along and jeopardize these developments”.
Cllr Des Hurley noted that some residents were concerned over the loss of car parking spaces but Cllr Jennifer Murnane O’Connor said it was time for the council to prioritise these developments, offering that there was ample parking in the city centre.
And in the month that saw the proverbial final nail in the coffin of the Progessive Democrats, local PD councillor Walter Lacey took the chance to highlight the party’s role in the project.
“It should be noted that it was Mary Harney, as Minister for Enterprise and Employment, who chose Carlow as the destination for the department,” he said.
Although the department initially hoped construction on the offices would be completed by the end of 2009, the appeals process means it will now be the end of 2010 or more likely 2011.
