Strong case for deferring Local Area Plans

Cllr Catherine Murphy has strongly argued that  Local Area Plans currently proceeding through the planning process should be deferred.    Plans for Celbridge/Leixlip/Collinstown together seek to rezone land to accommodate more than 2500 new houses/apartments over the next six years.  This would allow for an increased population of in  excess of 5,500.   Little or no account has been taken of the changed economic environment or the fact that emigration and not immigration is taking place.

In making the case for deferring decisions Cllr Murphy cited section 10 of the Planning & Development Act,  2000 (1)   “A development plan shall set out an overall strategy for the proper planning and sustainable development of the area of the development plan…… Section 19  (2) of the same act states: 
A local area plan shall be consistent with the objectives of the development plan….

 None of the three plans are in keeping with the 2005 County Plan,  both  Leixlip and Celbridge are listed in that plan as Moderate Growth Towns,  defined as having  a population of between 5,000 and 15,000.   Both towns have long since exceeded the maximum figure.

The Regional planning guidelines for the Greater Dublin Area are currently under review.   They are charged with considering the planning framework for the next 12-20 years.   Once complete the County Development Plan for which a review has already commenced,  will include any projected increase in population forecast by the Regional guidelines.   There is also a considerable land bank not yet developed where land was rezoned in previous plans.  In addition to this there is a Bill before the Dail which seeks to extend the lifespan  of planning permissions from five to ten years.   The same bill seeks to extend the life span of future Local Area Plans,  such as the ones currently under review,  from 6 to 10 years,  the new Bill if adopted makes provision  for phasing any future developments.  

“If  sizeable chunks of land are now rezoned new costs at national and local level will be incurred.   These relate to  facilities such as schools,  roads,  water/waste water, this makes no  sense particularly when there is surplus housing stock.   For those reasons I am seeking to defer decisions on the  Celbridge,  Leixlip and Collinstown Plans  until the new Regional Guidelines are in place and until the new County Plan is adopted or the current plan varied.”

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Posted by catherinemurphy on July 26, 2009. Filed under Latest News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.