Further changes made to the Bray Local Area Plan
CLLR Joe Behan sought a deferral in putting the Bray Municipal District Local Area Plan 2018 out on public display after comments made by the Minister of State for the Office of Public Works and Flood Relief, Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran.
Last Monday, while Councillors were voting in favour of a development on a natural floodplain which residents say protects their homes, Minister Moran stated that he wasn’t in favour of building on floodplains.
Cllr Behan sought a twoweek deferral so it could be established if some homeowners in that area were having difficulties in obtaining home insurance.
‘Minister Moran’s comments about floodplains only came out while we were meeting. I know people in Bray living beside tributaries, not even beside the Dargle itself, are finding it difficult to get insurance. We need to seek information regarding insurance from the Irish Insurance Agency and also seek advice from the OPW with regards to the decision made here last week.’
Cllr Michael O’Connor said: ‘It’s a very important issue. If you can’t get insurance for your house you might as well move out.’
However, Cllr Christopher Fox didn’t agree with the proposed deferral.
‘Putting the plan out on public display allows all relevant stakeholders to have their say. It will go to the Minister’s Department. It’s put out there for comment. That’s the concept of public display.’
Cllr Pat Vance said: ‘ This proposal is very anti-democratic because we had a vote last week and the result was very significantly in favour of proceeding.’
Cllr Mary Kavanagh said she was ‘unaware’ at the time of last week’s vote that a ‘recommendation’ regarding floodplains had been made by Minister Moran and would be supporting Cllr Behan’s call for a deferral.
Cllr John Snell said he would take Cllr Moran’s comments with a ‘pinch of salt.’
‘I was against the zoning last week and was disappointed the way the vote went but I would take anything Minister Moran says with a pinch of salt. He presented himself here at Wicklow to visit the Murrough without a top coat when even the dogs in the street would know you would need one. As a Minister, if he wants to, he can give a directive or make a submission.’
Cllr Pat Fitzgerald advised that the TD’s stint as Minister of State for the OPW would be up within a few months.
‘ This doesn’t come within his remit anyway. His stay as Minister will be up in June or July. I was talking to him here in Arklow and he never once mentioned floodplains. I just think with this plan we are delaying for this and delaying for that, let’s just go ahead with it.’
Cllr John Ryan also rejected any proposal to defer putting the plan out on public display.
‘I want to help Bray commercially, residential wise and retail wise. Can we please stop this flapping about and just get on with it?’
The Council Executive agreed to send on a copy of the plan to the OPW and Minster Moran, specifically highlighting the section in question, as proposed by Cllr Jennifer Whitmore.
Cllr Behan’s proposal for a deferral was defeated with 19 against, eight in favour and five not present. A second vote on placing the plan out on public display was then passed. COUNCILLORS considered a number of proposed amendments to the Bray Municipal District Local Area Plan 2018 at a special Wicklow County Council meeting that took place on Monday evening.
The meeting was organised after discussions on the plan held the previous Monday hadn’t concluded.
Cllr Christopher Fox wanted an amendment made to a map of an area at the junction of the Upper Dargle Road and Dublin Road. He proposed that zoning be changed from ‘existing residential’ to ‘neighbourhood centre’ because part of the site was mistakenly excluded. The lands in question were zoned as ‘ residential’ in error as they are not currently in residential use, but rather, are in commercial use as a car park associated with commercial properties adjoining. These lands have a long historical use as a car park.
Cllr Steven Matthews successfully included an amendment to chapter six of the plan on community development.
His proposal stated: ‘ The council will not normally permit development that will result in a loss of public or private playing fields, parks, children’s play spaces, residential amenity open space or land zoned for recreational or open space purposes. The council will not normally permit development that would result in the loss of open space within the Municipal District. In existing residential areas, the areas of open space permitted, designated or dedicated solely to the use of residents will normally be zoned ‘RE’ as they form an intrinsic part of the overall development.’
Cllr Matthews also proposed measures regard- ing the residential development of lands in Oldcourt. Access to the residential element shall be via the Vevay Road, and no through routes to Charnwood or Glitspur Wood shall be permitted.
He also sought significant improvement to the entrance at Vevay Road that would enhance safety and sightlines in the area and should this require alterations to the existing gate posts and piers, these shall be reconstructed on site using the original materials, in a sympathetic manner.
The proposal also called for no development to be allowed to proceed on the residential element until plans, boundary treatment, delivery schedule, management structure etc, for the public open space along the Sawn River have been agreed upon.
Councillors Joe Behan and John Ryan sought reassurances that the development of the lands would not result in access being sought through existing estates or cul-de-sacs.
The Chief Executive sought an amendment regarding the development of a residential development in Southern Cross, which was agreed upon by the elected members.
However, an amendment to change land at Bray Retail Park from retail warehousing to mixed employment use was defeated.
Cllr Behan outlined his problems with the proposal, stating: ‘It would be quite high up the Sugar Loaf so I think we should take it out of the plan so as to be consistent, I think this would encroach on the slope of the Sugar Loaf.’ Cllr Pat Vance shared similar sentiments.
‘ To my knowledge this is far to high and I couldn’t go along with it.’