Protest over green waste facility

Opposition is mounting to controversial plans to build a recycling facility in St Anne's Park, Raheny, Dublin.

Dublin City Council is proposing to rezone a section of the park to "industrial" use to allow for the development of a green waste-shredding and recycling facility.

The proposed recycling facility requires a material contravention of the Dublin City Development Plan 1999, because it goes against the current zoning objective to provide and improve recreational amenity and open space. The one-hectare area of the park earmarked for the facility is adjacent to All Saints Road in Raheny.

Yesterday, representatives of the St Anne's Residents' Association handed in a petition containing 4,500 signatures to Dublin City Council civic offices.

A spokesman for the association, Mr Brian Cummins, rejected the council's reasons for singling out St Anne's Park for the development.

"The council says there is no industrially zoned lands available, and the only option is to rezone park land, but we say that's nonsense.

"There are 10 vacant industrial units in Clonshaugh Industrial Estate, and the big Gateway facility off the M1 also lies idle."

One of the residents' biggest fears is that this recycling project could be one of the first to come before the fast-track infra- structure board, currently being drafted into legislation.

The residents are supported by the majority of Dublin City councillors. At last week's council meeting, the councillors unanimously voted against the rezoning.

They also asked city manager Mr John Fitzgerald to withdraw the plans.

Yesterday was the closing date for the council's new proposals. Officials will begin processing the submissions and a decision will be made by the city manager in two weeks.