Deputy Joan Burton has congratulated Labour Councillors Peggy Hamill and Michael O’Donovan on their victory in defeating proposals to re-zone for intensive housing developments large sections of the remaining Green Belt between Dublin 15 and Lucan.

Councillor Peggy Hamill’s motion to reject extensive re-zoning at Kellystown was supported by a significant number of Councillors including some from Fine Gael.

Joan Burton said that the attempt by developers to re-zone all of the Green Belt between Dublin 15 and Lucan would have resulted in many thousands of new high density, high rise homes without any infrastructure, particularly public transport and schools being provided.

“For too long it has seemed like developers were having it their own way, making tens of millions of profit from re-zoning and house building while absolutely refusing to ensure necessary infrastructure. Councillor Hamill’s motion has sent a clear message to developers that the new Council will not be taken for an easy ride in the way the Fianna Fail/Fine Gael majority behaved on the last Council. As far as I am concerned, the last straw in relation to developer led re-zoning with no concern for the community’s interest, was the failure over the last five years of any land to be handed over for amenity and sports facilities, to facilitate clubs, e.g. Castleknock Hurling and Football Club, still without its own grounds despite having a thousand young members”, said Joan Burton.

As for the proposal to re-zone many hundreds of acres of land at Barnhill, adjacent to Hansfield and Ongar, this was narrowly defeated by one vote. Again, this was the same old story – thousands of new homes but no delivery on infrastructure, particularly the re-opening of the railway line linking Clonsilla and Dunboyne.

I am glad that voters at the local elections in June who voted for candidates such as Councillors Hamill and O’Donovan, who promised to promote responsible planning and development in Dublin 15, including the retention of the remaining Green Belt, were vindicated in this week’s Development Plan votes at Fingal County Council. With the huge population now living in Dublin 15 and many thousands of new homes already provided for at locations such as the Phoenix Park Racecourse and Hansfield, we need to retain what little Green Belt remains in the Liffey Valley and the Tolka Valley area. Unlike other part of Fingal, Dublin 15 has very little amenity facilities for sports, walking and cycling. The retention of the Green Belt is essential to achieving sustainable development in Dublin 15.