Minister orders a report into refusal of planning
Senior An Bord Pleanála member is accused of conflict of interest
THE Government has appointed a senior counsel to examine an alleged conflict of interest involving a senior member of An Bord Pleanála.
Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien confirmed he has appointed Remy Farrell SC to write a report on allegations that An Bord Pleanála deputy chair Paul Hyde did not declare a conflict of interest while deciding on a Cork city apartment development.
‘I am aware of allegations published in relation to a board member of An Bord Pleanála recently, allegations which have been denied by the member concerned,’ Mr O’Brien said in a statement.
Earlier in the Dáil, the Taoiseach replied to a question from Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan saying: ‘There may be issues there that need to be examined further and clarified. I think it would be in everybody’s interest if the situation was clarified. I will ask the minister again about the issue Deputy O’Callaghan has raised.’
Mr Farrell will examine a decision by a section of An Bord Pleanála’s board, chaired by Mr Hyde, to deny planning permission for a development of 191 apartments on the old Hewitt’s distillery site in Blackpool in Cork.
The application, by Eichsfeld Ltd – owned by Cork business people – was made under the Strategic Housing Development legislation, which bypasses local authorities and goes straight to An Bord Pleanála.
It is alleged Mr Hyde has a 25% shareholding in a firm that owns a site on Pope’s Hill, 50metres from the distillery site. It has been suggested refusal for the development would increase the value of Mr Hyde’s own property as it would not be overlooked by the new apartments – a claim Mr Hyde denies.
He was one of three An Bord Pleanála members who discussed the development prior to permission being refused. At the time, when asked about Mr Hyde’s involvement, An Bord Pleanála’s board said: ‘Please see Sections 147 and 148 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 in relation to the declaration of interests. The board has nothing further to add.’
The sections refer to the requirement to declare any possible conflict of interests.
In its board direction regarding the application, An Bord Pleanála said the proposed development ‘represents over-development of the site, would lead to conditions injurious to the residential amenities of future occupants, would not be in compliance with... the operative Cork City Development Plan and would conflict with ministerial guidelines’.
Declaration of interests issues are the remit of the Standards In Public Office Commission (SIPO). A spokesman said SIPO could not comment on whether it had received a complaint about Mr Hyde’s business dealings.
Mr Hyde has not yet replied to a request for comment.
An Bord Ple anála’s website states Mr Hyde holds a degree in architecture among other qualifications. He was appointed to the board in May 2014 and appointed deputy chairman in January 2019. He was previously managing partner of design and planning practice Hyde Partnership and was on the Irish Marine Institute board.
‘Issues may need to be clarified’