By a vote of 10 to 9, the Council supported a motion by the 3 Green
councillors to revoke the draft area plan for the area around
Portmarnock Dart Station and to get a new area plan drawn up after
studies are done on the impact on wildlife and biodiversity, the
land contours are mapped so that the new housing can be placed where it
won’t intrude on the Green Belt, and the initial design work is carried
out on the Millennium park.
The full motion agreed by the Council follows:
That the Draft Local Area Plan be revoked and a new Draft be drawn up following the carrying out of:
• biodiversity studies (as mandated by the Council’s Heritage Plan Action 70)
• initial design work on the Millennium Park
• the production of contour maps and visibility
analysis to determine appropriate site ground levels and building
heights in order to meet Development Plan Specific Objective 234: “The
visual impact on the Green Belt of this new housing in Portmarnock will
be minimised by its siting, design and by planting”
and including the following in the Draft:
• provisions to meet the concerns in relation to
biodiversity and parks and contour maps and visibililty referred to
above
• provisions requiring high standards of design and
construction to meet energy efficiency, renewable energy, water
efficiency and other sustainability criteria
• the proposed street network(s) for all road users
(including specific extra provision for pedestrians and cyclists where
appropriate), specifying cycling walking and bus networks with a higher
level of penetration through the area than cars as recommended by the
DTO, but without increasing traffic conflicts for such road users.
• including as recommended by the Regional Planning
Guidelines and the DTO “building forms and layouts that allow for the
penetration of areas by pedestrians, cyclists and public transport”.
• An outline of the SUDS-based drainage to be used in the area including consideration of ecological impacts
• a public marketplace, on land taken in charge by
the County Council, within the limits set by the 2005 Public Safety
Zones Report .”