The local authorities have given approval for a planned €2bn town-centre development in Bray, Co Wicklow.

The project, which is being proposed by Pizarro Developments, includes shops, offices and residential units, as well as recreation amenities, a hotel and schools.

The plan was approved today by Bray Town Council and Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.

Bray Chamber of Commerce has welcomed the news, but local residents are vowing to mount an appeal with An Bord Pleanala.

The concerned residents wrote on their website following the news of the granting of approval.

Monday, 8th May, 2006, was Decision Day for Pizarro’s application to build on the Dargle Flood Plain. In perfect accord with their record of with holding information wherever possible, no decision was available up to 4.50pm, despite repeated phone calls. We were informed that the office would be closing at 5pm., and that the decision would be made by then - but might not actually be available…

SWAP representative, Noeleen McManus, went to the Civic Offices just before 5pm and pointed out that the decision was due that day, and we were entitled by law to know it. At 5.12pm. Ms. Triona Irving came to the desk in the by-now firmly closed Civic Offices, and said that the decision had been made to grant permission, subject to many conditions, including flood protection works. The staff was now proof-reading the conditions before publication.

When Noeleen asked Ms. Irving to note that the decision had only been given, publicly, after close of business, Ms. Irving said that the decision had actually been made earlier. It seems that, like the ‘expert reports’, minutes of any pre-planning meetings, membership of the Flood Study Group, and proposals for flood protection works, sharing information with the community most affected by this application is way down on the list…

It remains to be seen if An Bord Pleanala will see it the same way… That’s the first of many next steps for us.