Wicklow council criticised over delay in publishing county plan

Wicklow County Council has been criticised for its decision to seek another year to complete its new county development plan. If granted, the extension will put back public debate on amendments to the draft development plan until after next year's county council elections.

The council was previously given until the end of this year to publish a new draft development plan by the then minister for the environment, Mr Brendan Howlin.

Defending the decision to seek another year from the Minister, Cllr George Jones (FG) said the council did not have the planning staff to finish the plan in time.

He said all the greater Dublin authorities had a problem in that resources were not put into long-term planning. "I think there is only one person here handling that."

He said the extension would involve no planning implications for the county. Existing controversial developments, such as a 263-house scheme in Delgany, "are already in the 1989 development plan".

He conceded that "there are more proposals to do rezonings around Greystones, which will be delayed to some stage".

However, speaking to The Irish Times, Labour's Cllr Tommy Cullen said the extension would limit public debate on rezoning before next year's local election.

He said that under the existing time-scale, the draft plan would have been completed by the end of this year and would have gone on public display in March. Then whatever amendment - in effect, any rezoning which councillors sought - "would be out in the public domain and the cat would be out of the bag before the elections".

In seeking an additional year before publishing the plan, Cllr Cullen said he was concerned that public debate would be stifled at a critical time.

He said he felt "this is exactly what happened in the Glen Ding situation".

"When the original plan went before the public, there was no proposal to change the zoning of Glen Ding Wood. It was a public amenity area.

"After it went on public display, there were amendments. This time, if amendments are made by a fresh council with five years to run, they will be a fait accompli."

Areas being mooted for rezoning include land to the south of Greystones, where plans indicate a doubling of population over the next 15 years.

Additional land at Charlesland, Delgany, has also been mooted for a change in zoning from agricultural use to housing.

There is also a plan to rezone land at Greystones harbour to financially underpin a marina development.

Lands to the south and southwest of Bray are also likely to be considered, according to Cllr Cullen.