What is in a name?

This week sees two attacks on the rights of individuals and groups to object.
Developments on fringe of city went unchallenged (WNS p15): Greens, amateur green planners, greens, green people, concerns of small groups, democracy of one, one or two siren voices, Green Party.... some of the many terms used by the Phoenix in his editorial this week.
City Councillor urges serial objectors to see bigger picture in downturn (WT, p38): Hilary Quinlan who is chair of the SPC on Planning and economic development uses phrases such an unusually high number of often frivolous objections and appeals; a small minority of people; self appointed unelected unrepresentative planning watchdogs seeking to win long lost battles and score points for their own petty purposes whilst at the same time standing fully behind the provision allowing citizens input to the planning process,etc,etc.

We will need to keep an eye on potential development of Goughs Wood as:
Snowcream a victim of systematic stripping (ME, p1)
and No more Dairy for Waterford (WNS, p3).
Has anyone seen the new gate/fence on the riverwalk? Is this the start of the end or are the City Council about to begin work on the next phase of the walkway?

I have just returned from the 22nd annual conference of Caretakers of the Environment International held in Aalborg, Denmark. The theme was New energy and sustainability so I was interested in:
Solar: its the way to go (Views from the Brasscock byJPF in ME, p7) and Biomass boilers included in Greener Homes Scheme (ME, B6).
For more on the conference check out: //cei008.blogspot.com

For those of you with a camera: Blue Flag Beach Photo Competition 2008 (ME, B11)..take a snap of Clonea or Counsellor's in Dunmore before August 8th and email it to: pmurray@waterfordcoco.ie

Well done to all at Fenor: Conservators of Fenor Bog receive International (Dutch) accolade (WNS, p25)

Biodiversity Park on the Horizon

This weeks local newspapers are full of: Plans for Biodiversity Park in City progress with €4 million investment. (p4, Waterford Today, p21 Waterford News and Star and p1 Munster Express) The plan is to link up the Johns river from the Park all the way to the Ring road, taking in the pNHA of Kilbarry bog and the old landfill site.
Tramore road flooding to be resolved at last (p14, ME)...clear indications that damage must not be done to the pNHA by widening the road but that the road will be raised.

Further out in Tramore, there is an interesting aerial photograph with the caption: Tesco Tramore changes approved.

Waterford Bats get the once over from Michael O'Meara (p15, WT) which is timely given the objection currently being submitted by the IWT!

Nichola Beresford samples the delights of Taking the Train (p6,ME) and like me actually quite enjoys the experience and the relief of not taking the car into the Big Metropolis.