I fully support the recent decision by Councillors to retain the St Edmundsbury lands as high amenity. I commend the political parties for uniting against this rezoning and acknowledge the support of Independent councillors from other areas of South Dublin. The careful decision of our representatives is fully compliant with the National Planning Framework of Ireland.
St Edmundsbury is an 18th century demesne whose lands should be protected from development in their entirety including the lands of Woodville, which adjoin it.
The NPF targets compact growth but it also explicitly balances them with the National Strategic Outcomes for enhancing amenities, natural capital and sustainable communities. In an area with as much residential development as Lucan-Clondalkin, the protection of an existing green space that has multi functions and can satisfy multiple statutory requirements for recreational amenity, carbon capture, the preservation and enhancement of biodiversity, a green buffer zone, an ecological corridor and the creation of sense of place and wellbeing in a community should be top of the list for permanent protection and preservation.
SDCC should also look at the goals and targets of the EU Nature Restoration Law and question how they will reach these if green space is rezoned when brownfield sites are available.
The proposal of St Edmundsbury for rezoning when brownfield sites are still available and SDCC has rezoned over its targets has not been adequately explained and I would like this addressed in the CE Report, why is SDCC attempting to rezone greenfield over brownfield, when it goes against the National Planning Framework and why is this happening when SDCC has exceeded it's targets?