Work resumes on conference site in docks

Work has resumed on the National Conference Centre in Dublin's docklands despite the continuation of a dispute between its promoters, Spencer Dock International, and the Dublin Docklands Development Authority (DDDA).

Spencer Dock has decided to resume work after it received assurances from the authority that it will not object to Dublin Corporation's decision to give planning permission for enabling works at the site.

The option of objecting to An Bord Pleanala was open to the DDDA and if an objection had been lodged the project would be significantly delayed.

Spencer Dock, which consists of property developers Treasury Holdings and Mr Harry Crosbie, the owner of the Point Depot, suspended all work at the site on October 21st when the DDDA objected to Dublin Corporation.

The two sides retain their differences but have agreed to try and resolve them and let work continue in the meantime.

The DDDA maintains that it has yet to receive detailed plans from Spencer Dock for the site, but a presentation on December 16th by the consortium's architect, Mr Kevin Roche, is expected to go some way towards dealing with the DDDA's concerns.

The DDDA is proceeding with a two part planning scheme for the centre and surrounding land. One part deals with the four-acre site for the centre itself, with the other part dealing with the remaining 24 acres surrounding it.

Spencer Dock is unhappy about this and says it remains the major source of tension between the two groups.

It argues that while the planning scheme for the centre may be approved by the DDDA, the whole project will be untenable if approval is not given for the other 24 acres. This is because the 24 acres, consisting of office space, housing and hotels, are to be used to subsidise the centre which is expected to lose £6 million a year.

Meanwhile, the Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey has defended the Dublin Docklands Development Authority's role in the dispute.

Mr Dempsey said the authority has adopted a "positive and co-operative attitude to the advancement of the National Conference Centre project".

This contrasts with claims made by Spencer Dock which has described the DDDA as "obstructive and unhelpful" since the current dispute began last month. Mr Dempsey said the authority has discharged its functions in a manner "fully consistent with its obligation to secure the sustainable social and economic regeneration of the docklands area".

Mr Dempsey was speaking at a function to launch a new schools job placement programme for the docklands, which is sponsored by the DDDA and Reuters Ireland.