We almost had a heart attack when we heard this news this morning and a lot of “OMG”s were flung around the Her.ie office. Could Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie be setting up home in county Limerick? Eh… it seems like it if a planning application is anything to go by.
Yes, a suspicious planning application was lodged last week seeking permission to build an agricultural shed and a house extension in the Rathkeale. Who lodged the application? Well, according to the records Brad and Angelina.
Okay, okay. We should probably tell you the rest of the story. Brad and Angelina were also joined by a host of other unusual names amongst the planning application files – A Mr Joe Bloggs is looking for planning permission on Murrore’s Main Street.
What’s going on? Well the director of planning and development, Gerry Sheeran, has cleared things up: the names are simply dummy names that were used to test the planning application website. So no, if you live in Limerick you’re not going to be able to borrow a cup of sugar from the Jolie-Pitts. Sad face.
Brad, we’d happily let you move in next door to us
“We’ve checked this out and the Department of Environment have been asking us to work live on tests to upgrade the system. That’s why they were put up,” said Mr Sheeran.
“It is probably not appropriate to use those names so I have asked them now to change it and use more simple terms, like test 1, test 2, just in case people don’t understand what is going on, or think we are treating this lightly,” he added.
Both Brad and Angelina’s names have now been removed from the system, and various other fake names have been taken down as well.
“The department use us a lot to work on new things. Our planning IT has been advanced for a long time. It will make it more accessible and easier to use for the public,” said Mr Sheeran.
The new planning system may be easier to use, but honestly? We’d just prefer to have Brad Pitt as our neighbour.
