Speculative rezoning at Citywest?

[thebrom]

Green Party Cllr Tony McDermott has slammed a decision by fellow South Dublin county councillors to rezone green belt land at the Citywest complex.

The rezoning will enable development of yet another shopping mall against the wishes of the County Manager and An Board Pleanála.

Branding the decision as "speculative, developer-led rezoning" Cllr McDermott said: "This decision defies logic. The last thing the Saggart / Citywest area needs is more shops. The Citywest Shopping Centre was opened only last September and has plenty of vacant retail space. Saggart Village also has thousands of square feet of retail space available. This variation of the County Development Plan is uncalled for and not good for the area."

There was not a single submission supporting the rezoning during the public consultation. The applicant has not provided any research showing a need for another retail outlet. This decision puts at risk the viability and vitality of existing shopkeepers in Saggart.

"I can see no justification for the decision of my fellow Councillors to speculatively rezone Green Belt land to satisfy the whims of a developer," concluded Cllr McDermott.

13 councillors voted for the variation, 7 against and three were absent. The three Fine Gael councillors who were present declined to vote.

Is this another manifestation of Fianna Fail's close links with builders or a legitimate and necessary infrastructural project?

[yehbut_nobut]

This is so depressing.

Can the minister for environment re-visit that decision? Wasn't there a proposal for counciloors to have to justify overturning a devolopment plan, or something?

Anyone know who the land owner is, and who voted for/against/abstained?

[jerryp]

Was there an intervention by John Gormley in similar circumstances in Monaghan ? On the face of it , this decision seems either mad or brazen.

[mairteenpak]

Is it Mansfield Land?

The Minister has power under section 31 of the Planning Act 2000 to overturn the Councilors' decision.


31. —(1) Where the Minister considers that any draft development plan fails to set out an overall strategy for the proper planning and sustainable development of the area of a planning authority or otherwise significantly fails to comply with this Act, the Minister may, for stated reasons, direct the authority to take such specified measures as he or she may require to ensure that the development plan, when made, is in compliance with this Act and, notwithstanding the requirements of Chapter I, the authority shall comply with any such direction.

(2) Where the Minister considers that any development plan fails to set out an overall strategy for the proper planning and sustainable development of the area of the authority or otherwise significantly fails to comply with this Act, the Minister may, for stated reasons, direct the authority to take such specified measures, as he or she may require to review or vary the development plan to ensure compliance with this Act and the authority shall comply with any such direction.

(3) Where the Minister directs a planning authority to take specified measures under subsection (2), he or she may specify any of those provisions of Chapter I which are to apply in respect of such specified measures and any other provisions of that Chapter shall be disregarded.

(4) In exercising any power conferred on them by this Act, neither the manager nor the elected members of any planning authority shall exercise the power in conflict with any direction which the Minister may give under subsection (1) or (2).

(5) The Minister shall cause a copy of any direction issued under this section to be laid before each House of the Oireachtas.

(6) A planning authority shall make available for inspection by members of the public any direction issued to it under this section.

[yehbut_nobut]

hang on, this isn't the land where those developers offered a free hospital once, is it?

[Diogenes]

Any coincidence that Jim Mansfield, who happens to own a lot of land out there, is paying to bring the LUAS to Citywest/Saggart? How long before his currently useless fields are declared suitable for residential/ commercial use?

[alonso]

it's the same thing as is happening in Bray. Cosgraves got Fassaroe rezoned and are paying for LUAS to go there, instead of to Bray town. Some compromise half-assed solution has been found I believe, whereby the service is splitting to serve both or neither, depending on your perspective. It's disgraceful, especially coinsidering the limits of Luas