‘We know what happened in Ballymun in the 1960s and we are bringing this into our county’

A REARGUARD action by 10 Meath county councillors to insert stronger language into a letter to Government in their opposition to high density accommodation units in urban areas failed at one of a series of meetings to work out a new development plan for the county for the next six years.

In the event, the move to send the letter was voted down by another 25 councillors who felt it was a lost cause because high-rise, high density legislation is already on the statute books. The future of this form of accommodation was one of the contentious issues debated by the councillors at meetings on the development plan which will run over 16 days between November and 18th December.

Officials said that Government plans to increase building densities in urban areas, especially around train stations, had been passed by the Oireachtas and was now official Government policy.

Fianna Fail Cllr Damien O’Reilly said that 50 accommodation units per hectare in five to six storey blocks would only create anti-social hubs in the future. “We all know what happened in Ballymun in the 1960s and we are bringing this into our county,” he said.

Labour Party Cllr Elaine McGinty said that while densely packed units could be built, the vital infrastructure like roads, water facilities an schools would lag behind. She felt that the densities being proposed were there to suit developers not the people intending to buy the accommodation units.

Independent Cllr Nick Killian said he was told by one developer that they did not want to build these high-density units because they couldn’t sell them. It was the case, he said that prospective residents did not want these units – what they wanted instead was two-bedroomed units, with a car parking space and a small garden.

Independent Cllr Alan Lawes said that when a five-storey apartment block was proposed for Johnstown in Navan the whole community had risen up against it. There was no need for high rise developments in Meath, he added.

Social Democrat Cllr Ronan Moore said that the issue of high-density units had already been decided and if councillors voted against this, it would simply be struck down by the minister. What should be done instead was to put pressure on ministers and TDs.

Fine Gael Cllr Sharon Tolan said there wasn't a limitless amount of land available for building. It had to be understood that in some areas in the country, there was a need to build up rather than out.

Councill CEO Jackie Maguire said she did not think councillors could add a clause to the item on higher density units. However, the minutes of the meeting could reflect councillors’ concerns.

Sinn Fein Cllr Michael Gallagher said it seemed to him that all the councillors were doing was “rubber stamping” Government policy. Councillors had made great sacrifices to be at the development plan meetings but he felt they were wasting their time.

The councillors voted by 25 votes to 10 not to change the wording in an observation in the chief executive’s report on submissions to the draft plan – “that Meath County Council should facilitate the appropriate range of densities recommended in the Sustainable Residential Development in Urban Areas Guidelines for Planning Authorities (2012), issued by the Minister under Section 28 of the Act, with reference to relevant safeguards.”