Sir, - Cllr Deirdre De Burca (Green Party) is wrong and misleading to state (December 21st) that she is the only councillor who objected to the draft development plans for Kilcoole and Newtownmountkennedy. I strongly objected to both these plans at a number of council meetings.
The minutes of the July council meeting, which agreed to put the plans on public display, show clearly that Cllr De Burca seconded my objection to the Kilcoole plan. I demand that she publicly corrects her letter and acknowledge that the above facts are correct. It is very unsatisfactory that councillors who second motions should claim to be the only ones who support that view.
It is not possible to provide good public transport to Newtown and the large expansion within the plan will create a car-commuting village on the N11. This is not sustainable development, it is against the planning guidelines for the area and the population target and speed of growth must be reduced.
It is possible to provide good bus and rail transport to Kilcoole at a reasonable cost and the population target is reasonable. I represent Kilcoole and think that the 70 per cent growth in a five-year period is too fast and against the residents' wishes. The growth must be spread over 15 years and be dependent on a better rail service and other infrastructure provision. The recent strategic rail study, which proposes massive spending on every other rail line radiating from Dublin, does not propose any extra services on the Wicklow line and needs to be changed before growth is allowed. - Yours, etc.,
Derek Mitchell, Fine Gael Member, Wicklow County Council, Greystones, Co Wicklow.