Myles Buchanan at Wicklow County Council meeting ‘No’ to SWAP proposal in Bray
THERE was a large attendance in the public gallery in the council chamber on Monday during discussions on the Chief Executive’s report on submissions to the Bray Municipal District Local Area Plan 2018.
The majority of onlookers were members of the Little Bray community group SWAP (Safety with Alternative Plan), who want high density development planned for the 3.5 ha corridor of land alongside the river Dargle stepped back onto the high ground.
Their homes are located upriver from the proposed development.
Cllr Joe Behan pleaded with other councillors to support the issues raised by SWAP.
‘They are a community group with no other interest than to protect their homes. They have been consistently opposed to development on this flood plain for ten to twelve years now. We don’t know what will happen regarding flooding and because of this uncertainty I err on the side of caution,’ he said.
Cllr Behan proposed that the size of the park should be increased from two hectares to 3.5 hectares; that it would be located along the river front and that no retail zoning would be included for that area. He also advised that the proposal was supported by Councillors Oliver O’Brien, Steven Matthews, Brendan Thornhill and Michael O’Connor.
‘That’s five out of the eight councillors in Bray. If this decision was being made in Bray it would be passed because we would have a majority,’ said Cllr Behan.
Cllr O’Connor said: ‘The land is on a flood plain so it makes no sense to build on it. There is no sense in removing this land. Where will the overflow water go if there is a flood? It should be swapped from the lower level to another level.’
Cllr O’Brien also offered his support to the proposal, saying that ‘even the Egyptians knew what side of the river to build on.’
Cllr Thornhill also pledged his support, saying that it appeared to be ‘a bit of a David versus Goliath scenario’.
‘I’m afraid if this development goes ahead people will have to swim to shops, never mind walk,’ said Cllr Thornhill.
However, Cllr John Ryan felt that any planned retail was more suited to the centre of the town than elsewhere.
‘The big question is what impact would the land swap have? We have to look at the impact Dundrum and Carrickmines have had on Bray, and soon Cherrywood will be added to that list. If we do stop, as proposed, then we could kill the whole town off. The SWAP proposal splits the town. We need to keep the town together to provide something different to Dundrum, Carrickmines and Cherrywood,’ said Cllr Ryan.
Cllr Pat Vance was also opposed to the proposals.
‘Previous councils gave a lot of thought to this before zoning the land. We have to get the balance right between residential, retail and green space. The initial reason to build on this land was to give a lift to the town centre. €46 million has been spent on the flood protection scheme, a scheme I was delighted to see take place. There is also valid planning permission for the site which still has another two and a half arrears left,’ said Cllr Vance.
Cllr Chris Fox said he was ‘torn’ having met with SWAP and been impressed with what they had to say. However, he said he had to listen to his head over his heart and therefore wouldn’t support the proposed amendments.
He added that he wouldn’t have supported the Bray Plan if flood protection works weren’t already in place.
The Council Executive stressed that a large culvert pipe was included in the plans and had the capacity for 50,000 cubic metres of water overflow. Bray is also considered under resourced retail-wise. Cllr Behan’s proposals were defeated when put to a vote of the full council. Discussions on the Bray Local Area Plan still hadn’t concluded when Monday’s meeting finished at 7 p.m. The remainder of the plan will be tackled this Monday. COUNCILLORS have given Wicklow County Council the green light to go ahead with the development of the long-overdue Florentine Centre in Bray.
Planning permission had been granted by An Bord Pleanala in January of last year.
The elected members agreed to the disposal of 9,689 square metres of land situated on Main Street, Bray, and bounded by Florence Road, Quinsboro Road and Eglinton Place, to Navybrook Ltd, 55 Percy Place, Dublin 4.
Director of Planning Des O’Brien said Wicklow County Council will continue to own the site until the development is in place.
Liquidated damages are also part of the deal should the construction works fall behind schedule. It is hoped the centre will be open by December 2019.
At last Monday’s meeting, Cllr John Ryan said: ‘This is quite a historic day for Bray if this disposal goes ahead. At one stage developers had the site and chose not to develop it, effectively taking the heart out of the town. The old Bray Town Council were encouraged to take back and purchase the part of the site they didn’t own.
‘An awful lot of people still don’t think the Flornetine development will take place because it has been going on for so long now. I am thrilled that things have finally gotten to the stage where you have retail that will bring life back to the town,’ said Cllr Ryan.
Cllr Pat Vance recalled that the first time the project went out to tender was back in 1994.
‘It’s not going to sort out all Bray’s ills but it will definitely sort out a lot of them,’ he said.
Cllr Steven Matthews said that ‘anyone aged under 35 in Bray would only know that area as a hole in the ground and a rough car park.’
‘We have taken the site back and now we have a developer with the will and intention to develop the site. This is the best opportunity the site and Bray have had in a long time,’ said Cllr Matthews.
Cllr Joe Behan said it was a ‘necessity’ to develop that part of the town. ‘Down the years it has served as a huge development hole in the ground. The reality is there is only one bid, only one developer willing to take on the plan we agreed upon at Bray Municipal District level. That is the crucial issue,’ he said.
Cllr Chris Fox also supported the disposal. ‘Just walk down Bray and people will stop and ask when is the Florentine development taking place? Both the public and retailers support the project,’
Cllr John Snell said: ‘It is blatantly obvious that the elected members from Bray are crying out for something to happen, as are the people of Bray. It’s time we pushed on, otherwise we are going to keep going around in circles.’
While welcoming plans for the Florentine, Cllr Tom Fortune had reservations having received correspondence regarding the disposal notice and evaluation notice. However, Mr O’Brien was satisfied that no conflict of interest was involved.
Cllr Brendan Thornhill took issue with the €2.6 million valuation.
‘I am disappointed at the valuation of €2.6 million. I just don’t think the public’s best interests are being served by selling that site for just €2.6 million,’ he said.
Mr O’Brien responded that the valuation was clearly based on the fact that the centre has to be built within a short space of time. Twenty-nine councillors voted in favour of the disposal while three (Cllrs Tom Fortune, Tommy Cullen and Brendan Thornhill) abstained.