Lancefort was a pioneer in using EU environmental law to further its cause, writes Joe Humphreys.
Yesterday's High Court order for the winding-up of Lancefort Company Ltd marks the end of an era of environmental campaigning in Ireland.
The firm was established in 1996, when the development lobby stood virtually unopposed in the planning process. The only environmentalists around were dismissed as disorganised or eccentric, and to an extent the labels rang true.
Then, in stepped Lancefort, comprising a new breed of activists, some of whom were legally trained and had already cut their teeth in courtroom battles with developers.
The company's founding directors were Mr Ian Lumley and Mr Michael Smith who, 12 months earlier, had, along with barrister Mr Colm Mac Eochaidh, put up a £10,000 reward for information leading to convictions for planning corruption, a reward which eventually led to the establishment of the Flood tribunal.
Mr Mac Eochaidh represented Lancefort in several court actions, including that against Treasury Holdings over the developer's plans to demolish 12 historic buildings at College Green for a hotel.
The case would become Lancefort's biggest, and would also precipitate the company's downfall - as confirmed by yesterday's ruling.
In the interim, however, Lancefort was able to boast a number of successes, emerging as a veritable thorn in the side of the development lobby.
The campaigners seized upon a raft of new EU environmental protection legislation and made it their goal to have it applied in the Irish courts. In particular, Lancefort cited, in opposing specific developments, EU directives on the protection of habitats, greenhouse gas emissions, and the need for Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) to accompany major planning applications.
It also acted as "whistle-blower" to the European Commission, reporting to Brussels on Ireland's failure to protect its architectural heritage, and meet its commitments under EU law.
In 1998, acting on Lancefort complaints, the Commission's environmental directive said it was examining evidence of "uncontrolled destruction" of heritage towns such as Kinsale, as well as certain State-sponsored developments like the National Gallery extension, and the demolition of 18th-century houses on Essex Quay, Dublin.
The group threatened proceedings against Ireland under the Treaty of Rome if it proceeded with plans for an Eastern Bypass in Dublin, a project which remains on hold.
Among its successes was a Bord Pleanála decision in December 1998, following a Lancefort appeal, to order The Irish Times to redraft plans to develop the former Irish Press building on Burgh Quay, Dublin. Other victories included its overturning of the development of a major holiday village in Ventry, Co Kerry, and the demolition of Brookfield House by UCC to make way for a car-park.
Other actions included those against Rhode (Ireland) Ltd over plans to develop a hotel at Thomas Prior House, Simmonscourt, Ballsbridge, and against local authorities in the midlands over the M4 motorway.
"A lot of our work was in the form of representations at local authorities and opposing unauthorised developments in a number of different counties," said Mr Lumley, who remains a director. (Mr Smith relinquished his directorship three years ago when he became chairman of An Taisce.)
The company has two outstanding appeals with Bord Pleanála, one relating to the Dublin-Cork motorway, and the other to the Waterford bypass.
Mr Lumley said Lancefort's members and supporters were not planning a similar company to take its place as there were other groups, like Friends of the Irish Environment, which were capable of carrying on its work. Lancefort, moreover, is no longer unique in citing European law in environmental actions - a point which perhaps underlines its impact.
As regards whether Lancefort "won or lost", Mr Lumley said there remained a reluctance within the judiciary to engage with EU law and, because of that, "it may have lost on the substantive issue". But Lancefort showed up the conflict between Irish and European law, "and for that reason it proved of value".