“The Minister for the Environment, John Gormley TD, must stop
unwarranted green belt rezoning such as is now being proposed in
Kellystown, Dublin 15. Green Ministers in government are standing idly
by while Fingal County Council is once again proposing a major rezoning
on some 150 acres of precious green belt land at Kellystown and
Porterstown, near Luttrelstown Castle.

“The proposal includes some 60 acres of high-density housing, at least
1,500 apartments and houses. It also includes a road link from Ongar to
the roundabout on Diswellstown Road, at Fernleigh and Riverwood

“There is no need for this huge rezoning of green belt land other than
to profit private developers and landowners. With thousands of houses
and apartments already planned for Hansfield, Barnhill and the Phoenix
Park Racecourse, this rezoning is certainly unwarranted given the
current state of the housing market.

“We are told this rezoning is necessary to get sites for another
secondary school, a primary school site for Scoil Choilm and a further
site, possibly, for Carpenterstown Educate Together School.

“That is not true. No rezoning is necessary to build schools.
Construction has already begun on the site of one of the primary schools
in Kellystown under licence from the landowner. The developers are
trying to get their way by holding the community to ransom. The Green
Ministers in Government must protect our green belt.

“Developers and the FF Government say we must accept this major
intrusion into the green belt even though building in Dublin 15 is
almost at a standstill. Already, Fingal County Council inform me that
planning permission has either been granted or is under consideration
for over 18,000 homes while over 2,400 acres have been zoned for
residential use, which could give rise to a further 60,000 new homes
based on current high-density developments. It is clear that we don’t
need more land rezoned for housing in the area, certainly not before the
necessary schools, amenities and transport infrastructure are in place.

“The Council have decided that Kellystown is the only show in town when
it comes to providing school sites. Local residents will pay a heavy
price if turns out to be the case. There could be up to 3,000 new
housing units in the Kellystown area, placing a significant strain on
our roads, buses and trains. It would also gobble up one of the last
remaining strips of green belt in the area.

“We need new schools in Dublin 15 at both primary and secondary levels.
The Council and the Department of Education should proceed with the
purchase of the necessary land as was done by the Labour Party when they
acquired land to build CCC when they were last in power. This is an
outstanding school and a model to follow for the new post-primary school
in the area.

“It is a sad state of affairs when the provision of school sites for
local children is made dependent on ever more houses and apartments
being built. That is what seems to be afoot here. This is investor led
development, not community led development.