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MEATH CRONICLE RESPONSE - June '00

Dear Sir

Last week you published an article entitled "Dunboyne Residents Feel Betrayed Over Plan to Rezone Area". I must respond to the specific question regarding the rezoning of the Green Belt between Dunboyne and Clonee and wish to make the following points:-

1. The Strategic Planning Guidelines launched by Minister Noel Dempsey T.D. in March 1999 state clearly that towns like Dunboyne should be developed to cater for local housing needs and not to accommodate overspill from Dublin. This was intended to prevent urban sprawl.
2. The Strategic Planning Guidelines also state that there should be Strategic Greenbelts preserved between villages/towns like Dunboyne and especially between them and the Development Boundary of Dublin.
3. Our Local Councillors gave a clear commitment at a meeting with the Dunboyne Combined Residents Association on 20^th May '99, prior to the Local Elections, to protect the Dunboyne/Clonee Green Belt east of the old railway line.
4. All our Councillors look like they are prepared to renege on that promise which in effect raises the question - were they elected under false pretences/promises?
5. Councillors Oliver Brooks and Conor Tormey said that having built on the 180 acres of land beyond the railway bridge there would still remain a Green Belt. Yes, all of 50 yards! They do not know what they are talking about.
6. Councillor Brian Fitzgerald, who had been the strongest defender of Dunboyne both in the last Development Plan and again prior to the Local Elections, seems to have done a U-turn on this occasion. He said to representatives of our DCRA Committee, that there is an obligation on Councillors to rezone further land to provide affordable housing for a very large number of young people who were born and grew-up in Dunboyne. In the light of market forces this is unrealistic and an unbelievable commitment!

The Councillor should be aware that there is enough land already zoned and proposed for rezoning in the new Draft Development Plan for Dunboyne to add a further 2,000 to our present population of 5,000, an increase of 40%. There is no need whatever to rezone our Green Belt.

7. At a recent meeting of Councillors with DCRA:-