Get MapAlerter texts with planning details
THE importance of signing up for MapAlerter notifications was highlighted at last Monday’s meeting of Wexford County Council.
Cllr Malcolm Byrne laid down a notice of motion in respect of planning notices calling on ‘Wexford County Council to require the applicant to place the advertisement in at least one local newspaper, being defined as a newspaper published in the County of Wexford with an independently audited circulation in County Wexford in excess of 1,000 copies weekly, of if online, with at least 1,000 independently audited unique users per week’.
He was supported by Cllr Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin who said that in Ferns there had been a planning application for an anaerobic digester near Tombrack in Ferns. He said that the application had been placed in a national newspaper and not a local paper and it hadn’t been seen by locals until it was too late to make a submission.
‘ This created a lot of controversy,’ he said.
Director of Services Tony Larkin said that while he had no objection of the list of acceptable publications being reviewed he said he had a concern with using an online facility for planning notices.
However he said that ‘nobody reads every newspaper’ and pointed out that site notices are also erected. He also said he wasn’t sure that the council could limit publications to just local papers.
Mr Larkin said the council provides a free MapAlerter service where people can get all the planning alerts for their own area direct to their phone or email.
Cllr Paddy Kavanagh said he felt that site notices should be bigger so that people can see them. WEXFORD County Council has shelled out around €500,000 to rectify unfinished housing estates.
At last Monday’s meeting of the body Cllr Malcolm Byrne asked what costs the council had had to bear to complete unfinished estates.
Director of Services Tony Larkin said he had hoped to have a report on the matter for the members but it hadn’t been fully completed.
He said that in some instances THE need for a Visit Wexford brochure was highlighted at last Monday’s meeting of Wexford County Council.
Cllr Ger Carthy said it would be a very beneficial resource which could be made available at key tourist areas the council were able to use the developer’s bond to finish the estates but said that the council had also spent about €500,000 which won’t be recouped from grants or bonds.
However he said that in terms of the number of unfinished estates within the county ‘ the back is pretty much broken in it and we’ve a lot of work done’. He said that the report would be with the members before the summer. in the county.
Director of Services Tony Larkin said that the now that the Norman Way as been completed the council intend to bring out ‘a range of publications’. He said that ‘some will be print but most will be online.’ FERNS should be the new capital of Ireland according to Cllr Malcolm Byrne.
Speaking at last Monday’s meeting of Wexford County Council Cllr Byrne laid down a notion of motion saying ‘noting the Government’s proposed 2040 National Planning Framework, the need for greater regional balance, and the excessive concentration of decision making in Dublin, Wexford County Council calls for the Capital of Ireland to be moved back to its ancient location at Ferns.’
Cllr Byrne said it is not uncommon for seats of power to be located away from the capital cities and said that Ferns is the ideal location. He pointed out it had been overlooked on the Norman Way trail and should be marketed more efficiently to mark the historic nature of the village. ‘ We should be placing a greater emphasis on our villages’.
However he received little support with Cllr John Hegarty totally against the idea. Cllr Robbie Ireton however said he wouldn’t be found wanting when it comes to supporting the motion. ‘I won’t let my colleague down’, he said seconding the motion.
Cllr Tony Dempsey said that ‘ the closer people are to the area they are making decisions about the better the decisions are.’
In the end the motion didn’t receive enough support to carry it.