Donaghcumper “High Amenity” Zoning Narrowly Rejected

Work on the County Development Plan was finalised at a meeting of Kildare County Council on Monday 6th December.   Two issues,   which  attracted over 6000 submissions between them,    were up for decision.   

A number of changes were proposed including one from myself and Cllr Padraig McEvoy to  rezone Donaghcumper,   High Amenity.

While I am very disappointed the vote to rezone the land was lost by just one vote 10 in favour,  11 against,   there were some important changes,   that add to  the protection of Donaghcumper,   included  in the plan.

Cllr McEvoy and myself  had secured Senior Council advice over the past few months,    we did so in order  to ensure we did not expose the Council and the taxpayer to a compensations claim from the landowner.    We were fully  satisfied the advice gave that assurance.     Requests were also made by some councillors for the  County Manager to get senior Council advice,  which he did.     At Monday’s meeting the Manager advised the Council  that  he believed there was a doubt about the possibility of a compensation claim.   That appeared to be the primary reason why the majority voted against rezoning the land.

I believe not  rezoning the land High Amenity  is a major missed opportunity.   If the advice secured by the Manager is correct it also throws up major questions about the protections contained in the 2000 and 2009 Planning and Development Act’s.

On the positive site we were able to secure some strong new protections in the plan:

• Amending the map of the area to be protected to include all of the Donaghcumper Demesne.  This was sought in 4000 of the submissions made.
• Removing the objective to expand the Town Centre into Donaghcumper,   I believe this  opens up a complete rethink on how Celbridge should develop.
• Additional views were protected,    including;   those from the riverside walks,  from the Bridge at Celbridge to new Bridge near Salmon Leap Canoe Club;  critically the views  across the river from Castletown to Donaghcumper have now been included.
• A commitment was made  to define an Architectural Conservation Zone for the linked demesnes of Castletown,  Donaghcumper and St Wolstans,   by the two year have term review of the plan.
• Work on  spot listing of Castletown House and Demesne is to be commenced immediately,  the plan had included a  piecemeal approach to its protection which myself and Cllr McEvoy found to be inadequate.

It appears this is a war of attrition where gains are made on an incremental basis.  The forthcoming Bord Pleanala decision has become much more important now that the high amenity zoning decision was not agreed to.

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Posted by catherinemurphy on December 7, 2010. Filed under Celbridge,Planning & Development. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.