Managers Report on submissions to the Draft Kilcoole ... - Wicklow.ie

Kilcoole Local Area Plan 2008
Manager’s <strong>Report</strong>
residential zoning is required to meet the current populations targets and the excessive
zoning of land may lead to population targets being exceeded, to the overall detriment
of the settlement.
<strong>Managers</strong> Recommendation
No change to LAP.
Submission no. 20 (mapped)
Mr. Gahan, Michael and Ms. O Connor Mary
This submission relates to landholding of c. 11.3ha in Ballydonarea immediately
north of the proposed “MU” zoning in the draft plan. It is requested that this land be
zoned ‘R’. It is indicated that this land will no longer be suitable for farming given the
zoning proposed on adjacent lands (‘MU’ to south and ‘AT’ to north).
Manager’s Response
1. The population projections set out in the draft plan (which accord with the County
Development Plan 2004) and the calculation of required land zoning are set out in
Section 7 of Part A of the draft plan. The quantity of zoned land required takes
into account the 2006 census population, permissions granted and constructed
since 2006 and existing permissions, which have yet to begin construction. These
sections clearly set out the process under which it was determined what land
requirements were needed in order to accommodate the projected population in
2016. The calculations also provide for an “excess factor” and substantial
“headroom”, given the strategic location of the settlement of Kilcoole, its
designation as a Small Growth Town I in the Regional Planning Guidelines and
the demand for housing. The draft plan has proposed new residential zoning on
the basis of the need identified by these calculations. No further residential zoning
is required to meet the current populations targets and the excessive zoning of
land may lead to population targets being exceeded, to the overall detriment of the
settlement.
2. The new residential zonings proposed had regard the following spatial criteria (as
set out in Part A of the draft plan):-
• Unzoned lands closest to the existing town centre shall be considered first for
new zoning (the ‘town centre’ being taken as the Sea Road – Main Street
junction).
• Lands that meet a social or community need
• Lands zoned AGR in the 2002 LAP shall then be considered
The lands that are the subject of this submission are located outside of the existing
development boundary and are not considered to meet these criteria
3. The Manager recommends against the spread of Kilcoole in this direction as it
may lead to the piecemeal coalescence of Kilcoole and Greystones
4. The zoning to the north of this land is for ‘AT’ – agri tourism. This is in order to
facilitate the future of the enterprise at Glenroe Farm. It is not per se a
‘development’ zoning and would not result in this landholding being non viable
for its current agricultural use.
5. This zoning cannot be considered outside of the context of a full Strategic
Environmental Assessment. The SEA screen carried out determined that a full
SEA was not required as the plan was unlikely to have significant adverse
environmental impact on environmentally sensitive receptors in the area.
However, this would have to be reviewed if this zoning were to be considered and
furthermore, the Habitats Directive would be likely to require an ‘appropriate
31