Population targets causing concern in north Kildare

The Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey, is concerned about population targets for north Kildare and whether they adhere to the Strategic Planning Guidelines (SPGs).

But the council is concerned its population targets may be too conservative and there is considerable enthusiasm to push the target population for the county from 155,817 upwards.

The council has singled out Kill, Maynooth, Castledermot, Clane and Kilcock for large-scale growth, even though it acknowledges that Kill, Castledermot and Clane are in the greenbelt hinterland area, as defined by the SPGs.

In relation to Kill, the draft town plan notes the greenbelt designation and the fact that the SPGs recommend restricting development to local needs only. But it nevertheless proposes to double the population of the town. Envisaged is a rise in population to 3,320 people by 2006.

In Castledermot the draft town plan similarly recognises and even quotes from the SPGs' prohibition on development other than that required by local needs. But it goes on to suggest a 200 per cent increase in population by 2006. More than 500 houses will need to be provided to accommodate the increase.

In Clane, a similar situation exists in relation to the SPGs and the draft plan envisages a population of 6,300 by 2006, about a 100 per cent increase.

In the light of the apparent contradictions in the town plans it is hard to see how the council can justify claims that the projected increases are supported by the principals of sustainable development and compliance with regional and State policy.

Kilcock is defined by the SPGs as being within the Dublin Metropolitan Area and the population is set for an increase of about 100 per cent on 1996 census levels to 4,600 by 2006. Celbridge is also within the Dublin Metropolitan Area and the plan, but is targeted by the SPGs for "limited" development "focused on accessibility to the public transport network".

Maynooth, in the Dublin Metropolitan Area, is projected to have a population of 12,300 by 2006. The population in 1996 was 8,528.

In addition, Kildare County Council is planning for secondary growth centres at Kildare/Monasterevin and at Athy, which the council points out is served by a rail link to Dublin.

The main development centre in the county however is to be in the Newbridge/ Naas/Kilcullen areas, in accordance with the SPGs and following a plan first conceived by Myles Wright in the early 1960s.

Commenting on the town plans, the public relations officer for Kildare County Council, Mr Charlie Talbot, said the council did not accept that there was any conflict between the SPGs and the council's plans. He pointed out that the SPGs envisaged a population of about 164,000 for the county by 2006, which was greater than that envisaged by the county.