The Supreme Court yesterday reserved judgment on an appeal by a company of conservationists against a High Court ruling clearing the way for the controversial development of a hotel and office complex in central Dublin.
The Chief Justice, Mr Justice Hamilton, said he recognised the case was important for all concerned and the court would give judgment as soon as it could.
Lancefort Ltd, whose members were stated to be conservationists, is opposing the plans of Treasury Holdings Ltd for the development on a site bounded by College Street, Westmoreland Street and Fleet Street.
In December 1996 An Bord Pleanala granted planning permission to Treasury Holdings, of Lower Grand Canal Street, Dublin, to build a hotel and offices on the site.
Two months ago the High Court rejected Lancefort's challenge to the decision. Mrs Justice McGuinness ordered Lancefort to pay legal costs estimated at £300,000 incurred by the developer which claimed to have lost "millions" as a result of the legal proceedings. She put a stay on the costs order pending the outcome of the appeal.
Among the matters raised during the four-day appeal was whether under a particular European Council Directive and the Local Government Planning and Development Regulations, 1994, An Bord Pleanala is required, in relation to a certain class of development specified, to consider whether the proposed development would be likely to have significant effects on the environment by virtue of its size, nature or location, which would necessitate the carrying out of an Environmental Impact Assessment and the submission of an Environmental Impact Statement.