I, Ray Hearne welcome the decision by the elected members of South Dublin County Council to reject the proposed residential rezoning of the St. Edmundsbury lands, and I ask that this decision be maintained. I support the delivery of new homes in South Dublin, but they should be provided in the right locations and I do not agree that St. Edmundsbury is a correct location. The Council's own figures show that the revised National Planning Framework (NPF) baseline housing requirement has already been met. The overall package of proposed rezonings in SDCC provides approximately 30% more residential capacity than the Government's baseline requirement. As a result, there is no planning necessity to remove the existing High Amenity (HA-LV) zoning from the St. Edmundsbury lands in order to comply with national housing policy. The South Dublin County Development Plan identifies the Liffey Valley as an important landscape and Green Infrastructure asset. In my view, development should continue to prioritise already-zoned and more appropriate land, before considering the loss of protected High Amenity land that has ecological sensitivities and complex ecosystems. Maintaining the existing High Amenity zoning achieves an appropriate balance between meeting housing needs and protecting one of the County's most important environmental and landscape assets. It reflects the principle that sustainable development should provide for growth ,while safeguarding the natural environment for current and future generations. I respectfully request that the elected members' decision be upheld in this matter.