It had been expected that Wicklow County Council would decide on planning permission in September for changes including the Medical Centre and the extra 34 houses. I am disappointed that Bord Pleanala has just ruled that an Environmental Impact Statement must be lodged with it and they must adjudicate on it. The Bord is very slow to make a decision and this is likely to delay the land side by a year. (the Bord took 2 years to approve the project originally and 7 months just to decide if an EIS was needed or whether the Council could approve these changes!).

All marine structures will be completed by October and it was hoped that the Medical Centre, Clubs and Public Square would be started then and be completed by the end of 2011. Now there is likely to be a gap in construction while the Bords decision is awaited. I want the public square finished and the hoardings taken down as soon as possible.

The major factor in the Bords decision was because part of the old town dump is to be moved for the changes. I am hoping that the change of use from apartments to Medical Centre could be agreed by the Council to speed it up and have asked for legal advice to be obtained.