de Burca predicts legal challenge to Newtown Plan

Councillor de Burca was the ONLY councillor to have voted against the adoption of the plan, following a sustained lobbying campaign by the Wicklow Planning Alliance.

"I am in full agreement with the position of the Planning Alliance in relation to the Newtown Plan" says councillor de Burca. "The councillors who have adopted this plan are completely disregarding the Strategic Planning Guidelines for the Greater Dublin Area, guidelines which are now legally binding under the recent Planning and Development Act" she says.

According to councillor de Burca, the adoption of the Newtown plan has resulted in the zoning of large tracts of land for development, thus conferring rights and expectations on the landowners and developers. She points out that should a legal challenge be successful, the council would have to withdraw the plan and would then be exposed to massive compensation claims from the landowners.

Councillor de Burca is also concerned that the huge amount of land that has now been rezoned for housing in Newtown would be accompanied by the provision of proper facilities for the local community. "Newtown and Kilcoole are villages that are supposed to be catering for 'local growth' only under the Strategic Planning Guidelines" she says. "Between them, the two Local Area plans for these villages will result in a population increase of approximately 10,500 by 2016. This cannot possibly be considered local growth".

Councillor de Burca has questioned where funding will be sourced for social, community, road, sewerage and public transport infrastructure for these villages. "It may be argued that developers will be levied to cover the costs of this infrastructure" she says. "I do not believe that this will happen, as there is often a reluctance to impose levies on developers when a planning application is submitted. The developers certainly will resist these levies, and councillors often lobby planners to have development levies reduced".

Councillor de Burca has welcomed the fact that Wicklow County Council has decided to defer the adoption of the Kilcoole Plan for a further month to consider a submission made by the local community development association. "I am hopeful that my fellow councillors will take on board the concerns that have been expressed by the community of Kilcoole in relation to the new Development Plan that is to be adopted. Councillors must listen to the concerns of local communities as these are the people who must live with whatever development occurs in their areas".

For further information please contact Deirdre de Burca on 086 8061450 or email deburca@wicklowgreens.org.