Residents warn of fight "to protect Meath identity"
Presentation
of protest letters from DCRA to Meath County Council. (Ann Gilvary, Jim
McGrath, Philip Flood)
Worried Dunboyne residents fear the identity of their village is under threat of urban sprawl as new Council proposals are considered.
Members of the Dunboyne Combined Residents Association are shocked at current proposals to rezone 180 acres of green belt for development purposes.
The proposals, which are included in a draft development plan for the county, centre around the area which runs to the east of the village's railway line.
According to a spokesperson for the D.C.R.A., which represent 16 Dunboyne estates, the planned development will result in the village becoming swamped by surrounding Dublin suburbs with the risk of' losing its identity.
Residents who are "surprised and taken aback", argue that they have not received any "valid reasons" for the rezoning plans which, they claim, will double the population of Dunboyne.
"The area could cater for 1800 houses, but the village could not cope with the population influx. The traffic situation is bad at the present time and the local facilities are already at saturation point," said the spokesperson.
He also referred to the 1999 Strategic Planing Guidelines, which call for the preservation of green belts between villages and Dublin boundaries.
The community are also furious at local councillors' support for the project - the same councillors, who they claim, gave them a commitment to protect the green belt before the local elections.
"Such anger and shock has not been witnessed in a long time in Dunboyne - councillors reneging on their commitment is not
acceptable to the people of Dunboyne," the spokesperson said.
If' the plans are approved later this year, they will face "fierce opposition" from the people of' Dunboyne and its environs, he warned.
"We don't like to describe it as a battle but, essentially, that is what it is."
A spokesperson for Meath Co. Council said the draft development plan is Currently on public display and all submissions are welcome up until June 30th.
Cllr. Oliver Brooks said that.while he did make proposals, he did not purpose to rezone the green belt.
"If the proposals are accepted, there would still be a large green belt left from the Cow Park to Clonee on which to maintain amenity purposes." He added.