We are at the start of the process for adopting the Fingal Development Plan 2023-2029. There was a public consultation this Spring in advance of the Draft. In a series of meetings starting on 30th August, the Council will consider the responses to that consultation. Motions from Councillors to give direction for the drafting of the Development Plan will be discussed. I have submitted the following motions based on the responses from the public and my own submission:

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Fingal Greens today welcomed a partnership between Fingal County Council and a private developer which will exclude cuckoo funds and contain substantial affordable, social and cost rental housing.

The Fingal Green Party welcome the strengthening of the deal in recent days with commitments to exclude investment funds from purchasing both housing and apartments on the site and to offer at least 50% of the apartments for cost-rental.

Fingal County Council is starting its Development Plan process. My submission A Development Plan for a Sustainable Fingal doesn’t try to address the full breadth of the Plan, but focusses on a few issues which need attention:

• Quantitative assessment of climate impact
• Coastal monitoring and protection of sand dunes which are natural coastal protection
• Duty of active dissemination of environmental information
• Access to the Coast, Protection and Improvement of Coastal Amenities and Biodiversity, Blue Flags
• Baldoyle and Kilbarrack Industrial Estates
• Public Rights of Way
• Active Travel, particularly to school
• Demand Management
• Sustainable Urban Drainage
• Sewage overflows and misconnections
• Asssessment of transport infrastructure options including for the South Fringe/North Fringe area

The submissions from the public at this stage of the will inform the writing of the Draft Plan, which will go to public display in February 2022.

I have made an observation to An Bord Pleanála in relation to the Auburn Strategic Housing Development proposal. It focusses on the protection of trees, permeability for walking and cycling, and building heights.

Fingal County Council is proposing to partner with a developer to build over 1000 houses/apartments at Ballymastone in Donabate. The Green councillors are recommending that the partnership agreement be amended to provide for a significant proportion of cost rental housing and a ban on the sale of housing from the development to Real Estate Investment Trusts. Our letter.

I have this motion down for the next Area Cttee on 5th May:

That the Chief Executive set out options for what can be done to tackle the serious litter problems in heavily visited areas including Howth Promenade, Portmarnock and Malahide including consideration of the following:
•Asking businesses which are selling food and drink in disposable packaging to take responsibility for the problem to which they and some of their customers are contributing, for example by emptying bins during the hours when Council workers are not working.
•Putting signs on the promenade, open space and beach asking people to return packaging to the businesses if bins are full;
•Putting bins outside the businesses which are generating the packaging;
•Extending overtime to ensure bins are emptied as late into the evening as the waste is being generated;
•Having litter wardens rostered for the times of the day and week when this problem is arising.
•Provision of compacting bins at Burrow and Claremont Beaches.

I’ve complained to the EPA that Dublin Port appears to have been dumping dredge spoil in the Bay much closer to land than it’s licence (which I objected to) allows.

The Harbourmaster and the Department of the Marine are proposing to dredge Howth Harbour and to use the material to infill behind the West Pier. These are my comments in response.