Hundreds of objections lodged against Garth Brooks concerts
Residents warn over noise levels, lack of parking, public disorder and temporary toilets outside homes
A file image of Garth Brooks in Croke Park in January when he announced the first of his concerts at the stadium in July this year. Photograph: Irish Times
Several hundred objections against a licence for five sell-out Garth Brooks concerts at Croke Park this summer have been submitted to Dublin City Council by residents living near the stadium.
The
council has received 375 submissions in relation to the granting of a
licence for the country star’s consecutive concerts running from July
25th to 29th.
A spokesman for the council said the
majority of the submissions objected to the concerts, for which 400,000
tickets were sold in February worth an estimated €26 million, going
ahead at Croke Park.
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Many objections refer to a planning
regulation granted by An Bord Pleanala in March 1993 during the
redevelopment of Croke Park .
This stated: “The number of special events such as concerts, conventions or exhibitions shall not exceed three per annum.”
The three One Direction concerts staged at the stadium last weekend have used up the allowance for this year, residents claim.
Aitken
Promotions, which is staging the Garth Brooks concerts, applied on
April 16th for a Public Event Licence from the council for permission
for the concerts to take place, with the audience for each night not to
exceed 82,300.
The council is required under
legislation to consider observations and objections and meet statutory
agencies before making a decision.
There are a number of residents’ associations in the area.
One
of these, The Clonliffe and Croke Park Area Residents’ Association,
which has more than 300 members, submitted 18 objections.
The
association said an agreement between Croke Park and residents made
after protests over the U2 concert in 2009 confirmed only three concerts
would be held each year.
Other issues raised in
the objection letter included concerns over the level of noise
pollution, lack of parking, difficulties getting in and out of homes
under what they term as “martial law conditions”, public disorder,
temporary toilets and urinals being located outside their homes, litter
and traffic congestion.
“Local residents have had
their property continually tampered with by patrons attending events at
Croke Park including people spitting on their windows and doors,” the
letter said.
A spokesman for Croke Park Area
Residents Alliance, an umbrella which represents seven resident
associations (including the Clonliffe and Croke Park Area Residents’
Association) and has more than 6000 members, said it was in talks with
the GAA and that another meeting was planned for next week.
Patrick Gates
said: “We’re hoping city council will take on board our views of the
residents as set out in the objections. We are still looking at our
legal options.”
Labour Relations Commissioner chief executive Kieran Mulvey, who is mediating talks between residents and Croke Park, said he had been involved in three meetings on the issues.
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