Published: Thursday, 1st July, 2010 12:00pm

Questions must be answered over pylons planning error

Pic by==: 97

The news that EirGrid has withdrawn the planning application for its controversial north/south interconnector project arrived late yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon. A notice published as part of the public consultation process did not correspond to the drawings submitted to An Bord Pleanála in the application.

That the whole planning process could collapse at this stage, after two and a half years of work and tens of millions of euro spent, is a disgrace.

Residents, landowners and farmers have been against the overhead lines from the beginning, and called for an underground solution. EirGrid estimates its costs in getting the proposed project to this stage at about €20m and that's without considering any of the costs incurred by parties engaging in the public consultation process such as lobby groups, the IFA, local authorities and various stakeholders. Many of these had already stated that they too would be seeking all their costs.

Given that EirGrid is a commercial semi-state organisation, it boils down to the taxpayer footing the bill once again.

Serious questions have to be asked as to how such a huge project could have reached this stage without a basic mistake being spotted. These questions need to be asked, not just of EirGrid, but of An Bord Pleanála. The inspector dealing with this project and overseeing the oral hearings should be red-faced.

The whole thing is a calamity.

The entire public consultation process was based on the initial planning notices, which put the height of the pylons at up to 37 metres. This is in stark contrast with the 44-metre height that will be a reality across the Cavan landscape and were indicated in the plans to the board. It's not a minor detail.

As unpalatable as it may be for the taxpayer and the timeline for the delivery of this future vital infrastructure project, EirGrid had no other option but to withdraw the application.

When EirGrid goes back to the drawing board on this one, it might as well bite the bullet and plan for the lines to be put underground.

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