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An Bord Pleanála decision in Waterford highlights excessive National Land Zoning printable version

10 Apr 2011: posted by the editor - Ireland

A significant planning decision made by An Bord Pleanála outside Tramore in County Waterford highlights the national issue of excess national land rezoning, said An Taisce in a statement release on Saturday.

The statement pointed out that it has been estimated that Ireland's discredited local authority planning system has zoned enough additional land for an additional population of 3-4 million. (Irish Independent Report*, 10th October 2009) The land speculation which this fuelled during the boom years was a significant contributing factor to the banking and property collapse and hence the future debt burden the country bears.

Recently Frank Daly, chief executive of NAMA, said that up to 90% of zoned land in the country was not suitable for development (Irish Times Report 25th March 2011).

Waterford county is one of the worst nationally in excessive rezoning. Following appeal by An Taisce and others, An Bord Pleanála has made a significant decision refusing a major planning application by Monaco Developments for a nursing home, apartment and housing scheme at Pickardstown on the Waterford side of Tramore, County Waterford (planning ref 09/658 An Bord Pleanala ref PL24.237997). The Board ruled that notwithstanding the zoning under the current Tramore Local Area Plan that the development would be inappropriate. A number of considerations were cited including the distance from the town and current level of undeveloped zoned land nearer to the centre. The Board set out further considerations including that: the proposal would be contrary to the Department of the Environment Heritage and Local Government 2007 Development Plan Guidelines, the South East Regional Planning Guidelines and the principle in the Tramore Local Area Plan that development should 'progress in a sequential and phased manner'. Earlier this year An Bord Pleanála refused permission for a nursing home and retirement complex at Butlerstown, Co Wexford (ref 09/698) and a major housing scheme outside Dunmore East last year (ref 08/844) further to An Taisce appeals.

These decisions highlight that local councils like Waterford are continuing to undermine the operation of NAMA and promoting excessive rezoning and development consents.

Now that all Local Authorities are required to amend their current development plans under the new provisions of the Planning and Development Act 2010 to produce a 'Core Strategy', significant dezoning of land needs to accompany this process.

Tags: An Taisce, An Bord Pleanála

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