JURYS SALE REPRESENTS OPPORTUNITY FOR PROPER DEVELOPMENT IN DUBLIN

Councillor Lucinda Creighton has expressed regret at the decision to
permanently close two of the three Jury’s Doyle hotels in Ballsbridge,
selling off 5 acres of land, valued at over €200 million.  The closure will
see the loss of famous venues which have been synonymous with Dublin tourism
for many years.  However, the opportunity to develop these sites for the
benefit of the community cannot be underestimated.

“The shortage of suitable sites in and near the city centre for residential
and recreational development is lamentable.  The sale of Jurys in
Ballsbridge will inevitably lead to major private development in the area.
The focus must now hone in on ensuring that any proposals to develop will be
sustainable and provide a model for advanced planning in the city,” stated
Cllr. Creighton.

“Developments close to the city centre have consistently failed to cater for
the needs of the community and the residents living in them.  This
inordinately large site represents a real opportunity to develop in a manner
that can benefit the entire area.  Any decision to grant planning permission
on the site should seek a tangible kickback to the people of area.  The
development must include facilities which can be used by local residents,
such as a community centre, swimming pool, tennis courts or other community
resources.  Dublin City Council has the capacity to build in such conditions
to the terms of the planning permission.  I will seek to ensure that this
occurs,” she added.

A recent editorial in The Irish Times suggested that a major high rise
development of 32 stories could be imposed on the area, driven solely by the
aspiration of economic return for private investors. This would be
unacceptable. The development of Jury’s provides an excellent opportunity to
demonstrate that developers do not run the city.  Rather, development is
guided by a clear and lucid legal planning system, which is founded on the
principle of sustainability.  Consideration of local communities is the
cornerstone of such sustainable development.  Fine Gael will seek to ensure
that the Jury’s site development will be a shining example of such good
planning for the future.