More flexibility for housing in new County Development Plan
A NUMBER of changes have been made to the Chief Executive’s report on the County Development Plan 2021-2027, including a direction calling for more flexibility regarding the development of housing.
The first stage of consultations for the new Development Plan has taken place, with 156 submissions received, which is a 50 per cent increase on the previous County Development Plan.
A direction from the Fianna Fáill group called on the Chief Executive to include new policy which would have more flexibility within the County of Wicklow with regard to housing development whereby all areas of Wicklow have equity in the provision of housing. The development of waste water and water infrastructure must also not exclude smaller towns and villages from also being allowed to grow some housing.
The housing projections for the plan as set by the Government are 10,700 units by 2027, with 5,000 of those projected for Bray.
Cllr John Mullen warned: ‘ The plan as it stands will result in development happening in north Wicklow but it won’t happen
anywhere else. Certain towns are going to get development from this plan, while others will be ignored and that’s not acceptable.’
Explaining the Fianna Fáil group backed direction, Cllr Mullen added: ‘ The current housing growth projections are heavily centred around North Wicklow and larger towns. The figures vary hugely from Municipal District to Municipal District. In particular Baltinglass MD has the lowest housing growth of all MD, which is reflective of the lack of urgency with regard to the development of our rural villages and towns. This hierarchical exercise in social engineering emanating from the National Planning Framework is corrosive of the principle of equity and balance in the development of rural Wicklow.’
Cllr Shay Cullen wondered when the 10,700 figure comes into play given the number of planning applications currently going through the system.
‘133 houses just got permission in Ashford. So does that mean the projected figure in Ashford will now go down accordingly?’
Cllr Vincent Blake questions whether Ashford was placed in the right section in the County Development Plan.
Sorcha Walsh, Senior Planner, said Ashford had a population of under 1,500 which placed it in a certain category.
‘Ashford is struggling regarding certain services. School places are under pressure and there is limited employment and public transport, which makes it very car dependent.’
Cllr Joe Behan commented: ‘ The major problem with our planning system is that national civil servants are demanding things and the hands of local representatives, voted for by the people, are tied. I welcome any housing objectives for Bray but it shouldn’t be at the expense of people living in rural Wicklow.’
Chief Executive Frank Curran advised: ‘As the plan develops and more houses come on stream, the figures will have to be adjusted, so the figure will change as time moves on. We are also obliged to carry out a review two years after the plan has been adopted.’
Cllr Derek Mitchell said: ‘ We were handed down these numbers in a very restrictive form. We will have to down-zone a lot of land together with the reduced targets coming from above. Compared to 2015 there is a 20 per cent difference to what we now need. At the time of the last plan I said we were over- zoning.’
The Fianna Fáil direction was supported, with 16 members voting in favour, two against, eight not present and seven abstaining.