Court action could delay construction of motorway

Development of the final link of Dublin's C-Ring motorway could be delayed because of objections by two well-known local landowners.

Prof Austin Darragh and the architect, Mr Brian O'Halloran, have jointly begun High Court proceedings to prevent construction of the South Eastern Motorway, which is due for completion in 2003, from going ahead.

However, Mr O'Halloran said yesterday he hoped the issues at stake could be quickly resolved with Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.

"Nobody would like to see that road built faster or earlier than me," he said.

The 11 km motorway would run from Ballinteer to Shankill, linking the Southern Cross and M11 Motorways.

The scheme includes some 4 km of ancillary roads connecting it with Dublin's southern suburbs, which daily experience severe traffic difficulties.

An order approving the scheme was signed in October by the Minister for the Environment and Local Government, Mr Dempsey.

Mr O'Halloran's and Prof Darragh's action challenging the Minister's order is due to come before the High Court early next month.

The objection concerns access points from the motorway to lands near the proposed Carrick

mines interchange. Some of the lands concerned have been rezoned from agricultural to industrial use. The objectors claim the current access proposals are appropriate for agricultural land only.

Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council sources have also expressed optimism that the issues can be resolved by negotiation.

However, a member of the council, Ms Olivia Mitchell TD of Fine Gael, said the possible delay in building the motorway is "further evidence" of the need to change the planning laws.

She said new mechanisms had to be found to "fast track" strategic public projects, as had recently been proposed by IBEC.

Ms Mitchell said the motorway had been years in the planning stage and been the subject of public consultation, an environmental impact statement, a sworn public inquiry and an independent inspector's report. It had also been confirmed by the Minister.

While the concerns of individuals could and should be dealt with, projects needed to be given "finite determination dates", she said. Otherwise "many proposals currently being considered will be redundant before completion".