Debate on Wicklow planning decisions is urged

Efforts to raise an emergency debate on planning decisions taken as part of the draft Wicklow County Development Plan will be made when the council meets next Monday.

Green Party councillor Ms Deirdre de Búrca will ask her colleagues to debate what she described as "planning irregularities" surrounding the drafting of the plan.

The move comes after it emerged that information provided by councillors seeking rezonings was incorrect in a number of cases, while in others little debate was held on the proposals.

In one case highlighted by The Irish Times, the rezoning of 172 acres of farmland near Ashford was approved after members were informed that Ardmore Studios was to move to the site at Ballyhenry.

The studios later maintained it knew nothing about the proposal, and had never had any intention of moving from its current site in Bray.

Another controversial rezoning was of a 12-acre field at Leamore, near Newcastle, for commercial use to facilitate the development of a medical centre and nursing home.

The rezoning, made against the advice of planning officials, is facing considerable opposition from local people, who believe the site, on a small country road beside a bird sanctuary, is totally unsuitable for commercial development.

Both decisions were part of 17 rezonings made during a marathon meeting of Wicklow County Council in July, many of which have become the subject of considerable controversy.

Minister of State, Mr Dick Roche, has said he is "absolutely flabbergasted" by the circumstances surrounding the rezoning of the land at Ashford, and called for a full investigation.

Next Monday will be the first meeting of the council since its summer recess.

Ms de Búrca has written to the council's chairman, Mr John Byrne of Labour, seeking a suspension of standing orders to allow for a discussion of "the planning irregularities surrounding the drafting of the new County Development Plan and in particular the way in which the council meeting of July 12th was conducted.

"I believe that the council needs to take the first opportunity available to it to discuss the serious issues that have been highlighted in the media over the past few weeks in relation to the Draft County Development Plan," she said.

"The people of Wicklow have been listening to all kinds of information being thrown about and the elected members have a responsibility to clarify some of the issues raised. As far as I am concerned the key issue is whether the Draft County Development Plan has been properly and legally put on display. The council must clarify this before the process proceeds any further."

Ms de Búrca said she had spoken to the cathaoirleach of the council, who had indicated he would put her motion for an emergency debate to the members at the beginning of Monday's meeting.