Gormley orders probe into Meath planning

An order by the Minister for the Environment John Gormley for a probe into how planning laws and policy have been implemented in six local authorities, including Meath County Council, would not reveal any shortcomings in the council, a councillor predicted this week. The minister ordered the review in Meath County Council, Dublin City Council, Carlow County Council, Galway County Council, Cork City Council and Cork County Council. Independent planning investigators are to examine if decisions taken by each council were made in a consistent and transparent manner and in adherence with development plans. The group will also assess whether the local authorities have the correct powers and tools to deliver on their responsibilities. A spokesman for the minister said that complaints, representations and submissions on various planning issues which had been received from An Taisce, non-government organisations and members of the public would be used to shape the review and help prepare development plan policies. Asked for a reaction to the planned review, a spokesperson for Meath County Council said it was aware that the planning policy of six authorities, including Meath County Council, were to be reviewed but it had not yet received formal notification of the proposed review or the terms of reference. It would co-operate fully with the team of experts and with all aspects of the review process, the spokesperson. Fianna Fail Cllr Jimmy Fegan said that Meath County Council would have no fear of any review by the investigators. He said the 2008 development plan for the county produced by the council was "near perfect". If there was any question that there had been too much zoning, he said, it would be answered by the fact that the council had introduced "phased zoning" in 2008, an approach ensorsed by the Department of the Environment. "I am quite satisfied that it might be good news for Meath to have been chosen for this review because of the near perfection of this plan from 2008," he said. "It is a work of exceptional quality agreed between the planners and the councillors. The minister is quite within his rights to order this review and there should be no problem co-operating with it."