THE NEW local authority development plan for the greater Dublin area was completed last night.
Councillors in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council approved the plan after 13 hours of debate over two days.
The Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council County Development Plan 2010-2016 will provide a framework for the future development of the area.
Some 56 motions tabled by councillors were debated over the two days, along with some amendments introduced by county manager Owen Keegan.
Among last night’s decisions was one which requires that if institutional land is used for development, at least 25 per cent of it must be retained for open space and amenity.
The move was objected to by some religious orders in the county, including the Carmelite Order and the Order of the Legionnaires of Christ.
However, a proposal to include a footnote on what is permitted under certain zonings was quietly dropped.
The proposed footnote had said uses “open for consideration” on land zoned A, A1, B, NC, DC, MTC and E, including institutional land, “will be considered, except in instances where the lands are designated by the planning authority as being required for a public road, public hospital or public school”.
But after a submission from Auveen Byrne Associates, consultants on behalf of the Carmelite Order, which said the footnote constituted an “unjustifiable attack” on the order’s property rights and would lead to judicial review proceedings should it be adopted, the manager recommended that it be dropped.
Councillors also voted to accept a change in the zoning of Bulloch Harbour, Dalkey, Co Dublin, but they did so with some amendments.
The new zoning will allow for residential development in the area, but will exclude pubs, hotels and off-licences.
Fine Gael Cllr Mary Mitchell O’Connor said she was angry and disappointed at the rezoning.
People Before Profit Cllr Richard Boyd Barrett, who had attempted to prevent any rezoning of the site, said at least the worst aspects of the zoning plan had been removed.
