Gorey plan may not get Departmental approval
THE intervention by the Department of Housing into the draft Gorey area plan was ‘neither welcome nor helpful’.
Speaking at last Monday’s meeting of Wexford County Council Cllr John Hegarty said the members of Gorey Municipal District had held a special meeting on the plan to come to an agreement.
Senior planner Deirdre Kearns said that ‘in their submission the Department had directed the council to take actions to reduce the extent of residential zoning such that the overall total is consistent with the core strategy allocation of the Wexford County Development Plan for Gorey plus 50 per cent headroom permissible under the guidelines, which is 99 hectares.’
The draft plan had included 105 hectares.
Ms Kearns said that the Gorey members had decided to zone 3.4 hectares of land near Creagh College as follows: two hectares as residential while the remaining 1.4 hectares zoned Community and Education.
‘ The members reasons for the revisions were to provide additional residential lands close to the existing education hub at Creagh, to provide a strong frontage on both the R725 and Creagh Avenue and to deliver a much needed road link between the two.’
Ms Kearns said that this means that 101 hectares of land is zoned for residential use as opposed to the 99 hectares laid down by the Department. ‘ The members considered that the Local Area Plan provides an overall strategy for the proper planning and sustainable development of the Gorey area, the residential zoning is based on sound planning reasons and rationale, and the quantum of residential zoning is necessary to ensure that much needed housing units are delivered at the right locations.’
Cllr John Hegarty said ‘it was a difficult meeting. The intervention by the Department wasn’t welcome not helpful. We are two hectares over and there is no guarantee that the Department will pass this. I think they haven’t taken local knowledge into account. THE need for more primary and secondary schools in Wexford was highlighted at last Monday’s meeting of Wexford County Council.
Cllr Oisin O’Connell laid down a notion of motion which read: ‘ This council notes that the 2015 Government Capital Plan for new primary and secondary school buildings was based on demographic birth, migration data and assumptions, that will shortly be two to three years old and that this state has one of the highest birthrates in Europe. we need to request that the Minster re-examine the latest demographic data, with a view to prioritising and bringing forward building schedules.’
Cllr O’Connell said that the peak for primary school children in Wexford will come in 2019 and 2015 for secondary school students. ‘ Three schools have been flagged in Wexford for construction between 2019 and 2021 but we still haven’t reached the peak of our population. We need to get the Minister to re-examine this.’
He was supported by Cllr Deirdre Wadding who said that secondary schools in Wexford are already under pressure. PEOPLE living in housing estates which haven’t been taken in charge by the council are being ‘ left in limbo’.
Cllr John Hegarty laid down a notion of motion at last Monday’s meeting of Wexford County Council calling on ‘Wexford County Council to engage immediately with Irish Water regarding taking in charge of estates’.
‘People are being left in limbo’, said Cllr Hegarty. ‘We need to address this. Obviously there will be financial implications for the council but this needs to be looked at.’
Cllr Michael Whelan supported the notion saying ‘we need to find some way to sort this out’.
Chairman of the council, Cllr Paddy Kavanagh said the council is engaging with Irish Water on an ‘ongoing basis’.
Director of Service Tony Larkkin said ‘ there is ongoing discussions between Irish Water, the council and various departments. Once estates which are on the public sewerage system are up to standard there is no difficulty taking them in charge. The difficulties arise when the estates have a private supply.’
Cllr Whelan said ‘Irish Water are dragging their heels and there seems to be no political will to sort this. There is no controlling Irish Water.’ PEOPLE need to be reminded not to leave bags of recycling material at bring banks if they are full.
Speaking at last Monday’s meeting of Wexford County Council Cllr Kathleen Codd-Nolan said that the council should consider erecting signs at the bring centres reminding people to bring home their recyclables if the centres are full.
Director of Services John Carley said he would have the environmental section of the council examine the situation but added that ‘people should know in this day and age not to be leaving bags there.’