GREENS CONDEMN REZONING OF GLEN DING LANDS IN DRAFT BLESSINGTON DEVELOPMENT PLAN

Councillor de Burca has expressed her 'astonishment' at the new zoning for quarrying at Glen Ding that is contained within the Draft Plan. She has questioned why Wicklow County Council has proposed this zoning only weeks after a massive illegal dump has been discovered on land belonging to the company. "The history of the Glen Ding lands to date certainly leaves many questions to be answered" says councillor de Burca."Unfortunately the Glen Ding lands were originally excluded from the terms of reference of the Moriarty Tribunal and although Judge Moriarty has indicated more recently that he will examine the issue, he has not done so to date" she says.

Councillor de Burca points out that the proposed rezoning of Roadstone's land at Glen Ding is not immediately obvious within the new Draft Plan, as the text of the plan refers to the imp[ortance of preserving Glen Ding Woods as an amenity area."It is not until one examines the zoning map within the plan that it becomes obvious that a lot of extra land is proposed for rezoning for the purposes of quarrying" she says.

"The public is becoming very angry about an apparent "golden circle" that exists in this country and that appears to be exempt from the same laws and standards that apply to the rest of us" she says. "I do not believe that the people of Blessington support this rezoning and I am disappointed at the way in which it has been inserted into the new Draft Development Plan almost by stealth" she says. "I, for one, will be voting against this rezoning when the Draft Plan comes before the elected members of Wicklow County Council for adoption".

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