Attempts will be made to reverse the decision by councillors in south Dublin to rezone 600 acres in Dublin's Liffey valley for housing development, according to local protest groups and several councillors.
Rezoning opponents say it will bring an additional 40,000 people into Lucan, which is already suffering from a lack of infrastructure. But they concede it will be difficult to alter the decision to develop the 500 acres at Adamstown/Finnstown, south Lucan.
A further 120 acres at St Edmundsbury has also been rezoned for around 570 houses and 25 apartments, with about 200 acres being transferred to the council to be used as parkland.
This plan will go on public display for one month and will be considered by councillors at a December meeting. They passed the rezoning by a majority of more than two to one.
Ms Anne Finnegan, chairperson of All Lucan Against Rezoning Madness (ALARM), called for a public inquiry into the decision which had pre-empted the Government-commissioned report on strategic planning in Co Dublin.
"An awful lot of questions need to be answered. It just does not add up that so many thousand people in Lucan have voiced their opposition to this, but have had their opinions disregarded," she said.
Mr Tom Doherty, assistant county manager, confirmed this site had been rezoned following public consultation and could not be removed. An action plan would be drawn up to include rail links, new roads, schools, shops and other facilities. Up to 3,500 houses would be built, bringing an additional 8,000 to 10,000 people to the area. Of the 25,000 people living in Lucan, about 3,500 had lodged objections to the rezoning, while the "silent majority left the making of such decisions up to the members they elect", he said.
Mr Gus O'Connell, an Independent councillor in Lucan who voted against the proposal, vowed to contest the rezoning of the 500 acres and warned that when the Government-commissioned report on planning was published next year the council could receive "a wrap on the knuckles" over the decision.
More than 5,500 houses had been built in Lucan in the past three years without the adequate roads, schools, churches and recreational facilities. The rezoning could increase the population by 40,000, said Mr O'Connell.
Fianna Fail TD for DublinWest, Mr Liam Lawlor, said he did not agree with the size of the proposed development, but said it would help to solve the housing crisis.
A commuter-rail station, a link road to the Outer Ring Road and a connection to the Fonthill Road would have to be put in place and would help to ease the existing problems facing people living in Lucan.
"I'm not in favour of the scale of it, but I certainly hope that the decision means young couples can buy starter homes at competitive prices, because this will be a major blot on the record of this Government if we can't address this," he said.
South Dublin Chamber of Commerce yesterday welcomed the decision, but warned that the necessary infrastructure was urgently needed. Too often the onus on paying for residential infrastructure needs fell back on the rate-paying business sector, said its chief executive, Mr John Dunne.
Lucan Community Council said the worst fears of Lucan residents had now been realised and described the decision as "irresponsible".
The area was struggling to cope with a population rise of 39 per cent between 1991 and 1997, but in the past 12 months, councillors had rezoned land in Lucan for 8,000 new homes.