A DECISION yesterday by Waterford Corporation to grand planning permission to Bus Eireann for a bus station on the city's quays is likely to be appealed to An Bord Pleanala by conservation and business groups.
The decision to allow the controversial development is subject to 16 conditions, one of which stipulates that the site should not be used for the long term parking of buses. All long stay and overnight bus parking should take place elsewhere, the corporation said in its decision.
The Bus Eireann plan to relocate its depot from the Iarnrod Eireann station on the north side of Rice Bridge to Merchant's Quay has been strongly opposed by local groups which urged instead that Waterford's extensive south quays should be zoned and developed in an integrated manner as a high quality public amenity space.
The Save the Quays Association, which described the quays as "Waterford's greatest architectural asset", said it was extremely disappointed at yesterday's decision and claimed that the majority of local elected representatives had opposed the bus station proposal. The association includes representatives of An Taisce, the Waterford Civic Trust, the architectural and planning professions, and owners of business premises on the quays.
A spokeswoman, Ms Anne Harpur, said the association would consider an appeal against the decision and would seek to have the entire quay rezoned for amenity use in the draft city development plan. The development of the quays should be considered on a European scale and should be the subject of an international design competition.
Waterford Chamber of Commerce also expressed disappointment at the decision and said it had informed the corporation it did not consider the development would be good for Waterford business.
The secretary of An Taisce, Waterford Region, Mr Des Griffin, said although it recognised that the granting of planning permission was a reserved function of the City Manager, there should have been some attempt to have the feelings of the elected members of the City Council expressed by way of vote.
Bus Eireann is understood to have bought the Merchant's Quay site from Waterford Harbour Board some years ago for about £300,000.
The company's area manager, Mr Pat Crowley, yesterday welcomed the decision. He said: "The new station will be much more convenient for our customers. We will be putting in a very attractive bus station and I am sure it will be a flagship both for. Bus Eireann and for Waterford.
One of the conditions attached to the permission requires Bus Eireann to provide "a piece of civic artwork or other artistic embellishment to the development", to a value of 1 per cent of the capital cost and subject to a ceiling of £20,000.