Did you know that Dunboyne, Dunshaughlin, Ashbourne, Clonee and Ratoath should not be sprawling into the countryside?

The law (as represented by "Strategic Planning Guidelines (SPGs)" requires they should be providing strictly for "local growth" only. The law is being ignored by Meath County Council.

Write To:

John Byrne, Director, Mid-Eastern Regional Authority, St. Manntan's Hill, Wicklow AND Martin Cullen TD, Minister for the Environment, The Custom House, Dublin 1

Tell them:
oTo stop standing idly by - to enforce their statutory guidelines by opposing non-compliant planning applications
oTo maintain the official green belt between Dunboyne, Dunshaughlin, Ashbourne, Clonee and Ratoath
oTo stop unending sprawl by setting population targets for Dunboyne, Dunshaughlin, Ashbourne, Clonee and Ratoath limiting, future growth to locals only
oTo channel growth into Navan which must get its long-promised rail
oTo halt development on the flood plain
oTo improve facilities and quality of development
oTo intervene to get Meath Co Co:
a) to reduce the population targets and zonings in Meath that would result in the population of Meath rising from its current level of 133,000 (Census 2002) not to the SPGs target of a population of 140,000 by 2006 but to 196,000 (being an increase 1000% greater than envisaged) with zoning for an extraordinary 245,000; and
b) to concentrate development that is currently being dispersed over 33 towns and villages - and the open countryside - into the one designated growth centre in Meath, at Navan.

The statutory SPGs say that the only growth centres in Meath should be Navan and parts of Drogheda.

Elsewhere should be green belt with towns and villages providing for local growth only.

Judge Quirke, in a recent High Court judgment in a case taken by the Chairman of An Taisce and Kildare Cllr Tony McEvoy against Meath Co Co, noted that the Meath Development Plan "has substantially departed from the Guidelines' policies and objectives" and that "close analysis of the minutes of the meetings [of the various electoral areas] which was not contradicted fortifies th[e] suggestion" that "most land zoning decisions … appear to have been influenced more by pressure and lobbying exerted by interested parties (such as local landowners) than by regional or other planning considerations". He noted that "the nature and extent of the consideration given by the elected members of the respondent to the guidelines in the zoning of land for residential purposes gives rise to concern (and indeed unease) …".

An Taisce notes that the High Court found that rezonings in Meath were not pursuant to the public interest. In these circumstances An Taisce has called for the Flood (now "Mahon") Tribunal to investigate these improper decisions. The judge noted that "local interests appear to have overcome the concept of local needs" .

An Taisce is Ireland's oldest and largest wide-ranging environmental organisation - a Charity, not a Semi-State!

We depend on volunteers. Help us to control bad development in Meath.

Join An Taisce to protect the environment and stop bad planning. Call 014541786.

Or Call Ed Wheeler, Chairman An Taisce Meath at 086 2563072 Email emwheeler@eircom.net

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