THE Fingal County Council proposal to locate two travellers' halting sites on the Howth peninsula was strongly criticised at a large public meeting of residents last night.
The two sites at Windgate Road and Howth Castle were described as totally inappropriate. The residents also complained at the lack of consultation.
The meeting, organised by the Peninsula Action Group, called on the Minister for the Environment, Mr Howlin, to sanction immediately a comprehensive study of the area dealing with environmental, tourism and economic issues.
The study should then lead to the publishing of a comprehensive policy document on any future developments on the peninsula, the group urged. This should provide the blueprint to take the peninsula successfully into the next century.
Mr James Neary, chairman of the group, said one of the sites had been turned down for the building of a bungalow because there were no services there. Now it was supposed to be suitable for a number of travelling families.
The hard sites would be detrimental to tourism, to general business and to property values. Many houses would eventually become unsaleable.
He said a Special Amenity Area Order was to be put on the East Mountain area and this should be extended to the West Mountain area.
A woman said not enough consideration was being given to the fire hazard in the area. There were always a lot of fires there and the chief fire officer should have reported on the matter.
Some of the residents felt the sites should not be developed without planning permission. However, one of the councillors present said the council could not apply to itself for planning permission.