A plan to rezone almost 200 acres of land for housing at Stepaside in South County Dublin is being opposed by members of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Co Council. The rezoning from agricultural use - at 10 houses to the acre - would allow the construction of almost 2,000 new houses.
Bounded by the Ballyogan, Kilgobbin and Enniskerry Roads, the site is close to recent largescale developments at The Gallops, Leopardstown Valley and Sandyford Hall, as well as the existing Leopardstown Heights/ Mount Eagle estate.
The rezoning plan was recently circulated to councillors as part of the review of the Dun LaoghaireRathdown Draft Development Plan. But it was not included in a series of maps which went on public display earlier this year.
As part of the plan a development restriction for a limit of 150 houses is to be lifted on a separate site of some 30 acres adjacent to St Patrick's Park in Stepaside Village.
Expressing his "total opposition" to the plan, Mr Denis O'Callaghan (Democratic Left) said that the local infrastructure was inadequate to support the existing population of the area, "let alone another 2,000 houses".
"It must be remembered that this is an area where 4,000 new houses have been provided in recent years, between Leopards
town Valley, The Gallops, Sandyford Hall and others, and this 2,000 houses would extend development from Sandyford Industrial Estate to the Enniskerry Road without a single green break," he said.
Mr O'Callaghan also maintained that there were not enough schools in the area to serve the existing population, while the roads "are substandard."
However, the county manager, Mr Kevin O'Sullivan, told The Irish Times that the rezoning proposal was made largely in response to representations following the first public display of the maps for the area.
A report had been given to councillors for their consideration, and before any zoning would be changed, maps would have to go on public display, he said.
Mr O'Sullivan said the matter has not yet been debated by council. He expected it would come up for discussion at a council meeting on December 9th.