According to the rumour machine, the consortium behind the massive Spencer Dock scheme face a blanket refusal from An Bord Pleanala on July 17th for their £1.2 billion project that includes the long-delayed national conference centre. The report goes that the three planning inspectors who presided at the lengthy public inquiry in March have recommended against granting planning permission for what was billed as the largest urban development project in the history of the State. One of the key reasons is likely to be traffic, as well as the height and bulk of the 26 buildings proposed for the 51-acre CIE-owned site. The fact that the site is in public ownership through CIE is also believed to be one of the key considerations with a strong view taken by the presiding inspector, Des Johnston, that a site of such pivotal importance in the docklands area deserves to have a publicly-owned master plan. If the decision goes against the Spencer Dock scheme, it will be back to the drawing board, with the DDDA likely to play a lead role in devising a more appropriate plan for the site than the one produced by the Irish-born, US-based architect, Kevin Roche.