An Bord Pleanála may have to resolve Páirc lighting dispute
The debate over how much the GAA must pay for street lights around Páirc Uí Chaoimh may have to be decided by An Bord Pleanála.
Councillors granted the GAA a 100% waiver from the Cork City General Contribution Scheme and the Cork City Supplementary Development Contribution Scheme, but planning permission for the redevelopment of the stadium included special contributions towards street lighting on the Monohan Road, Centre Park Road, and the Marina.
It is understood this is valued at €700,000. Reports suggest the GAA has offered €60,000.
Councillor Tim Brosnan (FF) said the money is needed to upgrade public lighting and to repair infrastructure on approaches to the stadium, and urged the local authority and the GAA to reach an agreement on the issue, which has been ongoing for over a year.
“We would nearly have to go to An Bord Plenanála to get it resolved, because I don’t think it’s going to be resolved locally,” City Hall director of planning, Patrick Ledwidge, said: “The respective amounts of these contributions are to be agreed between Cork City Council and the GAA. In default of agreement, the amounts shall be referred to An Bord Pleanála for determination.
“They are part of a wider process ongoing between the City Council and the GAA,” he added.
City chief executive, Ann Doherty, said she hoped the matter could be dealt with at a local level, but would refer it to the planning board, if an agreement cannot be reached.
A number of meetings are understood to have taken place between GAA and City Hall officials.
Teoranta, the company that runs Croke Park and Páirc An Chrocaigh, recently entered into a three-year agreement to oversee the commercial activities of Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
