Compromise on rezoning offered

Dun Laoghaire County Council has proposed a compromise with the Construction Industry Federation (CIF) and the Irish House Builders…

Dun Laoghaire County Council has proposed a compromise with the Construction Industry Federation (CIF) and the Irish House Builders Association (IHBA) over housing projections in its draft county development plan. Following the public display of the plan this summer, the CIF and the IHBA had criticised the council's decision not to rezone any additional land for housing. At last night's review of the draft plan, officials said existing housing land was sufficient for the life of the plan, but agreed to consider "some rezoning" to allow for flexibility and to keep house prices down.

The chairman of the council, Mr Donal Marren (FG), said land was a finite and valuable resource and in line with sustainable development, existing zoned areas should be fully utilised before further rezoning.

In other aspects of the development plan, councillors were told that while Sandyford Industrial Estate is fully occupied, there are 80 hectares of undeveloped industrial zoned land in the county, with another 25 hectares zoned for a science and technology park at Cherrywood.