Comments on St Edmundsbury

The vote by elected members of SDCC to refuse the proposed Variation to the SDCC County Development Plan was the correct decision. It was a victory for Representative Democracy and for conservation of the Natural Environment and Biodiversity. The public utterances of the putative developer in advance of the vote were an affront to democracy, challenging the actions of citizens participating in a Public Consultation.

A corridor exists along the old N4 from St Andrews School to Hermitage Golf Club that has, against all odds, been maintained as green belt. This corridor is currently zoned High Amenity, reflecting its proximity and synergy with the Liffey Valley Special Amenity Area Order SAAO lands between this area and the river Liffey.

If this corridor is breached, it puts the Liffey Valley SAAO at risk. Together, these lands function as a contiguous eco system, networks of hedgerows, tree groves, woods and even derelict buildings amongst the cultivated land are teeming with wildlife.

While SDCC has a responsibility to ensure that there is sufficient zoned land to meet housing needs, figures show that there will be a 30% surplus based on those variations accepted, lands already zoned for new residential and government population projections.

The responsibility to ensure sufficient lands for housing must therefore be balanced with the responsibility of SDCC to protect the natural environment and biodiversity. Given the 30% excess of zoned land compared to population projections within SDCC compounded with the fact that over 33% of all of that zoned land exists within Lucan, Adamstown and Palmerstown, with a very significant additional percentage in Clonburris, adjacent to Lucan, the only consideration SDCC should be making right now is to preserve the High Amenity zoning and possibly even add the High Amenity lands to the SAAO Lands to preserve a future opportunity for a Liffey Valley National Park.

Beyond current population predictions, Ireland like all European Countries is predicted to reach an imminent demographic peak, the EU as a whole is predicted to reach its peak this year while Ireland is predicted to reach its peak within 20 to 30 years, for context, the putative developer for these lands has taken 20 years to begin developing a large brown field site in Dublin 12, even allowing for the crash, the last decade has been buoyant.

If demographic predictions fall short and the population increases beyond expectations, future generations will still have an opportunity to choose Residential Development over the Natural Environment and Biodiversity but if the High Amenity Zoning is changed to New Residential now, the Natural Environment and Biodiversity will be irreparably  damaged whether there was a need for residential development at St.Edmundsbury or not.

In conclusion, balancing the needs to provide lands for residential development with protecting the natural environment and biodiversity, the correct decision has been taken. I applaud the Elected Representatives of SDCC and the participation of the Public on this sensitive issue.