Sir, - Having thought that the argument against the continued sprawl of Dublin had been won, I find it worrying to see renewed calls for yet more rezoning around our city. Sherry Fitzgerald's recent report on the Dublin property market in the next decade has been a source of such arguments.
The report estimates that there are 3,200 acres of zoned land available in the Greater Dublin area, to provide for some 32,000 new households, which is less than a five-year supply, given the needs of the market. Marion Finnegan, an economist with the company, has argued that further rezoning will be needed to take pressure off rising house prices. One only hopes that the Government will not take its lead from a company which obviously has a vested interest in the matter.
Sherry Fitzgerald's report fails to take into account the potential for new households within the Dublin Corporation area. Rather than building on our diminishing green belt, it would be far better to promote brown site development - i.e. building within existing developed areas, where water, sewerage and public transport are already provided.
The Minister of the Environment should adapt the designated area tax breaks to better promote the renovation of existing buildings and should also set much more stringent guidelines on new developments, so that quality housing, rather than just box apartments are built. The decision on which way to go has implications for policy areas from transport to crime. We can sprawl like Los Angeles along our new motorways or we can try to create vibrant urban centres where a sense of community can develop once again. - Yours, etc., EAMON RYAN,
Dartry Park,
Dublin 6.