Earlier this year the Blessington Heritage Trust brought proceedings against Wicklow County Council in relation to amendments in the Blessington development plan, including the rezoning of Glen Ding Wood, Deerpark. The High Court reserved judgment and a ruling is expected shortly.On September 9th, 1996, the amendment to the development plan was proposed by Independent councillor, Mr Jim Ruttle, and seconded by fellow Independent, Ms Mildred Fox TD. This was despite 1,415 objections from members of the public, local organisations and other local authorities during its statutory display period. The Office of Public Works, however, offered no opposition to the amendment.In a letter to Wicklow County Council in November 1995, the OPW said the only Sites and Monuments Record area of interest contained in the 80 acres was, after all, "not an archaeological site." Although the site is marked on the present Sites and Monuments Record for Wicklow, an OPW document shows that it had previously been "delisted."However, in February of this year Mr David Sweetman, chief archaeologist with the National Monuments and Historical Properties Service, told Wicklow County Council that because of the "high archaeological potential" of this wetland area, excavation work should be carried out before any quarrying began.Questions are also now being asked about independent valuations and surveys of Glen Ding commissioned by the Department of Energy prior to the sale.In 1988 the Forestry Service was asked by the Department to conduct an evaluation of sand and gravel reserves in Glen Ding. Following the submission of its report, however, a second study was commissioned by the Department.Mr John Barnett, of Minerals and Environmental Sciences Consultants Ltd, priced the land at £1.26 million with planning permission for extraction of gravel and £821,000 without. Mr Barnett has confirmed that he had provided consultations on behalf of Cement Roadstone Holdings prior to his survey, through the Drogheda based company Premier Periclase, a CRH subsidiary.In June the following year, Kiaran O'Malley Ltd, civil engineering and town planning consultants, also surveyed the land for the Department, the third such study.In his report of April 30th, 1990, Mr O'Malley said that, despite Roadstone's already stated interest in the site, it would be advisable to put the land up for public tender. Roadstone was already quarrying adjacent land and indicated its interest in Glen Ding in 1987.Six months later he said in a letter it was unlikely that any company would match the offer of Roadstone Dublin Ltd. Mr O'Malley has since said he carried out work for Roadstone before his survey of Glen Ding, although he stressed it represented only 1 per cent of his work. It has also emerged that another bid was made for the land at Glen Ding some time before the sale. On April 10th, 1989, Mr Brendan Johnston, of Johnston Industries, wrote to Mr Tom Smart in the Department of Energy proposing a joint venture with the Department for quarrying at Glen Ding.In December 1990 he approached the Department again and submitted a bank draft for £80,000, representing 10 per cent of his unconditional bid. Subsequently, a meeting was arranged for December 13th, but when he rang to confirm the day before, an official told him a decision had been taken by the Minister the previous afternoon to sell the land. After complaints by Mr Johnston, the meeting was rearranged.On December 17th, Mr Sean Fitzgerald, assistant secretary at the Department, informed Mr Johnston's solicitors in a letter that the Minister was considering his offer and that no decision had yet been made. Three days later his solicitors were told: "Your client's unconditional offer has been considered and was not successful." It concluded: "I make no comment on your conditional offer." The bank draft was returned.Mr Johnston had also made a conditional offer of £1,150,000, but this was never discussed because, as he was told, only unconditional offers would be considered. However, a number of conditions were attached to the subsequent sale to Roadstone Dublin Ltd. The contract was signed in June 1991 and the sale was closed in January 1992 - more than one year after Mr Johnston was informed that it had been sold.