Nevin reminds us that Spotlight is looking at the Causeway controversy tonight on BBC NI at 10.35pm. That’s for those who won’t be watching David Trimble on Newsnight, on why using Northern Ireland as an exemplar for other peace processes is not a good idea. Here’s an earlier attempt by some other dudes.
What was life like for children of political activists during the Troubles? A new book by Bill Rolston and published by Guildhall Press during the summer has collected together the stories of twenty Children of the Revolution whose parents’ activities – and in many cases, imprisonment – had a significant affect on childhoods and life [...] read our review »
Dr Gordon Gillespie, a researcher at the Institute of Irish Studies at Queen’s University Belfast, gave a presentation on “Graphic Portrayals: Northern Ireland, Graphic Novels and the Peace Process”, at the Linen Hall Library. Gordon started with a clarification that he was going to talk about graphic novels/comic books, not cartoons, and material that was [...] read our review »
It took me a long time to warm to advertising agencies. The first time I worked with one I was working in sales management on Fairy Washing Up Liquid. I was due to attend a meeting at which I was to be told what consumers really thought of the brand. I remember my reluctance to [...] read our review »
Is the Sweeney plan the only viable and realistic one on the table? This may indeed be the case.
Those of us who want the development to stay in public ownership are in danger of not seeing the wood for the trees.
Whilst it is right to pay attention to the role of Paisley Jr let us at the same time push our politicians to get on with the task of drawing up an alternative plan on the original site which is superior to any proposed by a private developer so that their plans can be defeated purely on the merits of design etc.
If our elected representatives sit around doing nothing this leaves the field open to a Developer who is then bound to succeed and that being the case good luck to him, an outcome I do not welcome.
Ulsterfan, the only councillor backing the privately developed visitor’s centre on Coleraine and Moyle Councils was the DUP’s David McAllister.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Foster is now waiting for an application from the public sector in order to get her off the hook. Perhaps Dodds NO to such a development isn’t as firm as it sounded on Spotlight.
Seaport/Sweeney’s earlier plan for the development of the site in front of the Nook – an Arts and Crafts Centre – was thrown out by PACNI in 2002 so it’s unlikely that his new plans would pass muster if they had to undergo a Public Inquiry.
Nevin thanks once again.
We need a world class visitors centre and there is no reason why the Assembly Dept headed by Dodds should not provide.
Parts of the business can be leased to the private sector but overall control remain in public ownership.
Let the Assembly get on with it and take the initiative.
The cost to the public purse (20m) is a red herring.
With the number of visitors set to rise this is a very good investment with a short pay back time.
Although the Spotlight site opens for me, the program won’t run (doesn’t even open Real Player).
Anyone have any idea why?
Although this thread seems to have little to do with Planning, and lots to do with relationships between various people, Nevin asked about the Assembly Committee at post 7 on page 2.
Briefly (relatively)
When the Minister and senior Planning Service officials attended the Committee on 20 September, she agreed to release the Seaport application file to the committee. The head of Planning Service assured me personally that when I read the file, I would be assured that the concerns of UNESCO had been taken on board. I had spent some time prior to that meeting reading both the UNESCO report and the draft Northern Area Plan, and nothing said at the meeting lessened my concerns that the proposal from Seaport was contrary to both.
A few days later, members had the opportunity to read the file in Parliament Buildings. I was accompanied by two people who had previously read the file, who were able to inform me that there was nothing on the file that was not on the ‘public file’, ie available to anyone who visited the appropriate office.
Specifically missing were any records of internal discussions or reports to higher levels in the Planning Service, including Management Board and Minister. Such information would be available to a local Councillor on more modest applications at the time the Council was consulted with a preliminary report.
However, as well as numerous objections, there were various papers from sections of the EHS, which included grounds for objection to the plan, numbered 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7. I made a sweeping assumption that there might also be grounds 1 and 3 for objection.
Since there was nothing/little on the file to support the application, and much to oppose it, the Committee accepted my proposal that we should seek sight of the full file, on the basis that the Legislature should be treated (at least) no worse than local Councils.
We await the Department’s response.
Thanks, David.
Are you surprised that no one in the Executive has raised a possible breach of the Ministerial Code viz section 2.4 (i)
2.4 Duty to bring matters to the attention of the Executive Committee
(i) cuts across the responsibilities of two or more Ministers;
As Leader of the Opposition, I have no particular insights into the workings of the Executive. It may be that the Executive is quite happy to let two Ministers deal with the matter if it only affects their Departments.
However, we have never been given a full explanation why DETI announced an immediate withdrawal from any involvement in the public sector Causeway Visitor Centre when DOE has only announced a minded to approve Seaport’s plans.
AND it came to pass in the year 2007, that verily, the Lord came unto Noah, (who was now living in Ballymoney), and said,
“Once again, the earth has become wicked and over-populated, and I see all manner of evils, terrorists in government and the end of all flesh before me.
“Build me another Ark and save two of every living thing, along with a few good Free Presbyterians.”
And lo, He gave Noah the CAD drawings, saying,
“You have 6 months to build the Ark before I will start the unending rain for 40 days and 40 nights.”
Six months later, the Lord looked down and saw Noah weeping in his yard – but no Ark.
“Noah!” He roared, “I’m about to start the rain! Where is the Ark?”
“Forgive me, Lord,” begged Noah, “but things have changed. I needed Building Control approval and I’ve been arguing with the Fire Brigade about the need for a sprinkler system. My neighbours claim that I should have obtained planning permission for building the Ark in my garden because it is development of the site, even though in my view it is a temporary structure. We had to then go to appeal to the Planning Appeals Commission for a decision. Once Seymour Sweeney saw what I was up to, he submitted alternative plans with the backing of the local MP, and you have no idea how hard it was convincing a Paisley that you were actually on my side. Then the Department of the Environment demanded a bond be posted for the future costs of moving power lines and other overhead obstructions to clear the passage for the Ark’s move to the sea. I told them that the sea would be coming to us, but they would hear nothing of it. Getting the wood was another problem. All the decent trees have Tree Conservation Orders on them and we live in a Site of Special Scientific Interest set up in order to protect the spotted owl. I tried to convince the environmentalists that I needed the wood to save the owls – but no go! And in July I had to pay off racketeers as insurance against the local kids taking the wood for the Eleventh Night bonfire. When I started gathering the animals, the USPCA sued me. They insisted that I was confining wild animals against their will. They argued the accommodation was too restrictive, and it was cruel and inhumane to put so many animals in a confined space. They said if he spotted me with any pit bulls, I would never see the Ark float. Nor was I aware that marching the animals on to the Ark two by two constituted a parade, so I had to apply to the Parades Commission for permission. They just couldn’t get their heads round the fact that the end of the world is nigh, and that telling people it was could maybe even have a positive effect on community relations. Then the Borough Council, the DoE and the Rivers Authority ruled that couldn’t build the Ark until they’d conducted an environmental impact study on your proposed flood. I’m still trying to resolve a complaint with the Equal Opportunities Commission on how many disabled carpenter’s I’m supposed to hire for my building team. The trades unions say I can’t use my sons. They insist I have to hire only accredited workers with Ark-building experience. Then Harland & Wolff stepped in, and said the project hadn’t been subject to normal tendering practices, as they hadn’t been allowed to present a business plan, so the whole thing went to judicial review. It didn’t help that the judge’s grandfather had worked on the Titanic and
thought I was taking the piss. To make matters worse, Customs and Excise seized all my assets, claiming I’m trying to leave the country illegally with endangered species. After several neighbours accused me of being ‘on drugs’, the Assets Recovery Agency took some persuading that I had managed to put this project together without any visible means of income after I said I was relying on divine intervention. So, forgive me, Lord, but it would take at least 10 years for me to finish this Ark.”
Suddenly the skies cleared, the sun began to shine, and a rainbow stretched across the sky. Noah looked up in wonder and asked,
“You mean you’re not going to destroy Northern Ireland?”
“No,” said the Lord. “The Assembly beat me to it.”
Fact of the matter is that Sweeney’s development will save the tax-payer £20million.
Aye… if we ignore the opportunity cost of lost visitor centre revenues.
D’ye think we’re all daft?
Never mind the revenue, it’s also unlikely any publicly-funded centre would cost £21 million, if yesterday’s Irish News is to be believed:
Three quarters of the cost of a publicly-funded visitors’ centre for the Giant’s Causeway could be provided by the European Union, it has been claimed.
Enterprise minister Nigel Dodds scrapped plans for the public project last month saying it would save the taxpayer £21 million.
But the DUP minister admitted yesterday that up to 75 per cent of the cost of building the visitor’s centre could be provided by the EU under the Territorial Co-Operation Programme.
In a letter to MEP Jim Allister, a former party colleague, Mr Dodds also said that if a private visitor’s centre was built, only 37 per cent of the costs could be provided by the EU.
The plans were shelved last month after environment minister Arlene Foster said she was “minded†to grant planning permission for a privately-funded centre.
Mr Allister said it was important that Northern Ireland’s “greatest national asset†was not exploited for private profit when a public project was viable.
“While there is no certainty that EU funding would be guaranteed, the possibility of attaining 75 per cent support from Brussels seems to me a proper consideration in the public interest, which makes Deti’s willingness to abandon the public project all the more puzzling,†he said.
“It may be that the Executive is quite happy to let two Ministers deal with the matter if it only affects their Departments.”
Are you entitled to ask if the matter was brought to the Executive – as Leader of the Opposition, David?
BG, I’ve put a link to Allister’s letter on the more recent thread, “Lobbying up to the edge and beyond”, including some additional material.
Even if the original cost is 20m it will soon be recouped.
There are at least 500,000 visitors pa and rising.
What income does that not generate—–very significant and enough to repay original investment and soon to be in profit.
The public ownership becomes so attractive with grants from EU funding.
As a matter of principle the Causeway must remain under the control of the State but it also makes such good business sense.