Council not aware of film studio plans in Ashford
Wednesday December 09 2009
PLANS to develop a film studio in Ballyhenry, Ashford, saw councillors venting their anger on Monday, saying they had been kept in the dark about the planning application.
Cllr. John Ryan called for a suspension of standing orders to discuss the planning application which received conditional planning permission for Wicklow County Council and will see a warehouse in Ballyhenry being allowed to be used as a film-making facility together with use of adjoining Wicklow County Council lands for purposes ancillary to film making.
Cllr. Ryan said the film industry was very important to Bray and to the county and said that a similar application had been made in the past and had been unsuccessful as a material contravention to the development plan was not carried. COUNCILLORS complained that they had been kept in the dark about plans to develop a film studio in Ballyhenry, Ashford.
Cllr. John Ryan called for a suspension of standing order, to discuss the planning application which received conditional planning permission for Wicklow County Council and will see a warehouse in Ballyhenry being allowed to be used as a film-making facility, together with use of adjoining Wicklow County Council lands for purposes ancillary to film making.
The application was made by World 2000 Entertainment Ltd.
Cllr. Ryan said the film industry was very important to Bray and to the county and said that a similar application had been made in the past and had been unsuccessful as a material contravention to the development plan was not carried. He wondered why Wicklow County Council was giving World 2000 Entertainment a temporary licence to use council lands. He said even the chairman of the council, Cllr. Pat Vance, hadn't been aware of the application and said ' Wicklow County Council is tasked with the economic development of the whole county' and said he felt the Ashford development could had a negative impact on Ardmore Studios in Bray.
He was supported by Cllr. John Byrne who said the application hadn't been discussed with members of Wicklow County Council or Bray Town Council.
