On youtube.

My observation on the appeal against the proposed development by Thormanby Woods.

Councillor David Healy
Green Party/Comhaontas Glas
Howth ward / Dublin North East
www.davidhealy.com
01 8324087
54, Páirc Éabhóra,
Beann Éadair, Co. Bh.Á.C
54, Evora Park,
Howth, Co. Dublin

                        
                                                                    14th May 2007    
An Bord Pleanála,
64 Marlborough Street,
Dublin 1

Re: Appeal PL06F.223250, aplication by Borg Developments, Thormanby Road, Howth

A chairde,

I would like to make the following observations on the above appeal.

1.    Visual impact and character of area

The site is in the Special Amenity Area Buffer Zone.  Other development in this vicinity has correctly been kept at a low level, mostly single storey.  The proposal for very large two-storey houses spread evenly across the site is entirely out of keeping with the character of the area and the existing pattern of development.  The designated protection of the Buffer Zone is intended to protect the character of the area as well as views to and from the Special Amenity Area proper.  The proposed development by virtue of its size and intrusive nature is not in keeping with these objectives. In particular, the importance of the tramway as an amenity route to the Special Amenity Area is recognised in the SAAO.  Views from the tramway are therefore of particular importance.

2.    Biodiversity

The site is one of significant biodiversity value, containing woodland and important wildlife corridors, including for bats (which are legally protected).  Development of low density housing is not incompatible with maintenance of biodiversity value provided that sufficient appropriate and interlinked planting is carried out, and existing woodlands and hedgerows are retained, improved and connected as needed. Unfortunately the current plan seems to envisage considerable enclosure on the site in such a manner as would disrupt wildlife movement.

The Council’s response to this has been to impose the following condition:

Condition 4
a)  A detailed scheme with full specification for the development of the woodland as an amenity to be submitted for the written agreement of the Planning Department following consultation with the Parks Division prior to the commencement of development works on site.  This to include full details of paths, bridges, gates and boundary treatments.  The chain link fence on the northern boundary of the woodland to be replaced with a railing.  A woodland management strategy that identifies an appropriate level of access and penetration but leaves other areas inaccessible for wildlife will form a major component of the scheme.  Bird and bat boxes to be erected at appropriate locations.
b)  The cause of the flooding within the woodland to be identified and rectified as part of the woodland development.

There seems to be a mistake in the wording of the proposal to “leave other areas inaccessible for wildlife.  This condition does not provide for any public consultation or information.  These important aspects of the proposal should be specified in the application and not left to be dealt with by condition.

3.    Drainage and hydrology

The development is proposed to be located in a damp hollow which acts as a reservoir at the head of Gray’s Brook which drains the valley around it, flowing down through the town of Howth under Main St. and Abbey St.  Interference with this hydrological regime could cause flooding locally and/or downstream.  The planning application does not ensure that this development is not allowed to have negative impacts.  

The requirement in Condition 4 that
“The cause of the flooding within the woodland [be] identified and rectified as part of the woodland development”
is likely to be directly contradictory to the maintenance of the wildlife and conservation value of the site.

The wetness of the area undoubtedly contributes to its biodiversity value.  Therefore solutions which would seek to drain the woodlands and adjoining areas should not be contemplated.  These considerations argue towards clustering of the development on the site (together with dedication or sterilisation of the remaining land).

4.    Water supply

The existing water supply in the area is inadequate, with generalised low pressure leading to frequent complete loss of supply on the upper stretches of Thormanby Road and adjacent areas.  Adequacy of water supply should be a central consideration in deciding on a planning application.  The Council is entirely aware of the inadequacy of the water supply in this area.  Extra houses will add significantly to the demand on an already inadequate supply.  Further development in this area is therefore premature until such time as the necessary water supply is made available

5.    Traffic

The entrance to the site is between two dangerous bends and would increase traffic hazard at this location.

6.    Existing Rights of way

There are claimed rights of way in the area and through the woods which would be interfered with by the proposed development.  The Council as planning authority and An Bord Pleanála on appeal are required to respect and protect rights of way.

7.    Proposed new public roads/rights of way

The proposal from the Parks Department that the development and the woods be accessible from the Tramway is a good and important one.  This is both to maximise the amenity benefit of the woodland and to maximise the access for residents of the proposed development to local facilities by foot.

Proper planning and sustainable development requires that walkability be prioritised in developments.  The The tramway is the primary walking route to Howth village from this location including the local school.

The pedestrian access does not need to be beside Grey’s Lane as identified by the developer, nor indeed from a design point of view should it be at this location.  From an inspection of the maps, the logical location for the access to/from the tramway is along the access road to the flagpole lot, house site 14.  This is a walking route link to another walking route which does not meet accessibility specifications in a naturally hilly area, acting as an alternative access to the site, and therefore it is not necessary that it meet accessibility specifications.

8.    Affordable housing

The proposed provision of affordable housing in Castleknock does not help to meet local demands and needs.  An Bord Pleanála should not allow the Council and developer to sidestep the intentions of the Planning and Development Act in this way.  The affordable and social housing component of this development should be provided on the Howth peninsula and this should be a condition of any grant of permission.

9.    Naming

Condition 10 reads

“That an acceptable street naming and house numbering scheme be submitted to and approved by the Council well in advance of commencement of any works on site or marketing by title.

”Reason:  In the interest of the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

”Note:  Failure to have a naming and numbering scheme approved in time could result in a delay in marketing or the provision of utility company services to the site.  It is suggested that a number of alternative names be submitted together with a brief history of their origin, which should be of local historical significance.  The street naming scheme should be in both English and Irish and the Irish version should be an Official translation, which can be obtained by contacted the Official translator, Dial Eireann (sic).”

I assume that a “note” to a condition is in fact part of the condition.  The specification that the base language is English and the Irish version is a translation of the English version is in contravention of Objective RO24 of the Development Plan:

“To require the use of meaningful local names in bilingual format or in Irish alone in naming housing estates.”

An Bord Pleanála should reword the last sentence of the condition to comply with the Development Plan; something like would be appropriate:

“The street naming scheme should be in either Irish or in both English and Irish.”

10.    Conclusions

A number of the issues above are capable of being addressed by condition.  

Others should have been addressed as part of the application and should not be left to resolution outside the planning applicatoin process.

However, I feel that the development as a whole is of over-sized houses and fails to comply with many of the planning objectives for the area, in particular the protection of views, as set out in the County Development Plan and the Special Area Amenity Order.

Additionally, the lack of an adequate water supply and the effect the development would have on the users of the existing supply means the development is premature.

Therefore permission should be refused for the applicant to come back with a proposal more in keeping with the area and the planning objectives for the area, after an adequate water supply has been made available.

I enclose the €50 fee.

Is mise, le meas,
 
Cllr. David Healy

Friends of the Earth’s Act for Climate website is generating quite a few emails asking candidates to commit to 3% ongoing year-on-year reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.  My response, giving this commitment, is below.

Yes.  The Green Party is committed to a legally binding 3% annual reduction in carbon emissions, as set out in our manifesto:

It is probably most clearly set out in our policy launch of 5th April

You might be interested in my work as one of 3 Green Councillors in Fingal County Council on improved heat energy efficiency standards and renewable energy in houses in local area plans in Fingal.  We have convinced the full Council to require that the houses use 60% less heat (space heating and hot water) than houses built to the current building regulations and that 30% of that demand is met from renewables.  See here.

As Chair of the Energy Action Team on Fingal Development Board I have been pushing the Council/Development Board to engage with wider energy issues as well.   Reports on this and other energy/climate issues are here.

Additionally, I have done research on climate change policy issues such as a report on subsidies to fossil fuels in Ireland and I am very involved in Cap and Share.

You can see this is a priority both for the Greens and for me personally.

Fingal County Council Water Services Department are today issuing an
Urgent Water Conservation Notice to all residents in the County From: Michael Galvin (Water Services) [mailto:Michael.Galvin@fingalcoco.ie]
Sent: 01 May 2007 14:19
To: Anne Devitt; Ciaran Byrne; Clare Daly; David OConnor (Councillor); Gerry McGuire; Joe Corr; May McKeon; Michael Kennedy; Tom Kelleher; Alan Farrell; Darragh OBrien; David Healy (Councillor); Joan Maher; Michael J Cosgrave; Peter Coyle; Robert Kelly; Brenda Clifford; Felix Gallagher; Leo Varadkar; Mags Murray; Margaret Richardson; Michael ODonovan; Peggy Hamill (Councillor); Ruth Coppinger
Cc: gv.wright@oireachtas.ie; sean.ryan@oireachtas.ie; trevor.sargent@oireachtas.ie; Paul Smyth; Anita Morris; Alan Carthy
Subject: Dry Weather Alert

Dear Sirs,
Dry Weather Alert
Fingal County Council Water Services Department are today issuing an Urgent Water Conservation Notice to all residents in the County
Due to the increased demand on the water supply in Fingal during the recent hot weather, it will not be possible to ensure a constant supply of water to our residents. In order to ensure availability of water for use during peak times it will be necessary in the coming days to introduce a series of direct  conservation measures.
These measures will include reduction of water pressure between the hours of 10.00 p.m. and 6.00 a.m.). As a result some customers will experience reduced water pressure with a possible total loss of water supply during these hours in parts of Swords and the North County.
If you have any queries in relation to this please do not hesitate to contact me on the number below.
Kind Regards
Michael Galvin
| Assistant Staff Officer | Water Services | Fingal County Council
1st Floor, Grove Road, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15.
T (01) 8906215 | F (01) 8906229 |
| michael.galvin@fingalcoco.ie  www.fingalcoco.ie |

A copy of my General Election canvassing leaflet is here.

The Village Magazine has asked candidates to fill out a questionnaire. Lots of questionnaires come to candidates; this is one of the better ones so far.  My reply is below.
(Questions in bold)

Name                          :David Healy
Address                      : 54, Páirc Éabhóra, Beann Éadair, Co. Bh.Á.C.
Date of birth  : 29 December 1968   
Constituency  : Dublin North East
Party                           : Green Party/ Comhaontas Glas
Occupation                 : County Councillor/Environmental researcher     
Previous occupation: Environmental consultant
Financial interests     : none

Income (aside from income derived from political office):

x    Less than €20,000
    Between €20,000 – €30,000
    Between €40,000 – €50,000
    Between €50,000 – €60,000
    Between €60,000 – €80,000
    Between €80,000 – €100,000
    Between €100,000 – €120,000
    Between €120,000 – €140,000
    Between €140,000 – €160,000
    Between €160,000 – €180,000
    Between €180,000 – €200,000
    Over €200,000
 

Approximate net worth of capital assets aside from family residence):
Not even a family residence.

Information on political career to date:
I have been a member of the Green Party/ Comhaontas Glas for 20 years.  I have a degree in Law and a M.Sc. in Environmental Science and have worked with environmental organisations and in research.

I was elected to Dublin County Council in 1991. In Dublin County Council I was one of the leading opponents of the corrupt rezonings in 1993 currently being investigated by the Mahon Tribunal, and proposed the motion which defeated Frank Dunlop’s attempt to rezone Baldoyle Green Belt.  I took a legal action against the Council in relation to a planning decision adjacent to the historic St. Mary’s Abbey in Howth.  I worked on the campaign in the 1990s for a Special Amenity Area Order for Howth.  

Between 1999 and 2004 I worked as a consultant for environmental and community groups around the country on planning and environmental protection cases.  I also was and am still active in environmental organisations in particular Feasta the Foundation for the Economics of Sustainability (www.feasta.org) and Friends of the Irish Environment (www.friendsoftheirishenvironment.net).  

I was re-elected to Fingal County Council in 2004.  On the Council I have spearheaded the introduction of housing energy standards in Local Area Plans in Fingal County Council which mean that new houses being built will use 60% less heating energy than houses in the rest of the Country .  Additionally, at least 30% of that energy will come from renewable energy.  

I have personally taken successful planning appeals against decisions by Fingal County Council.  I have been particularly active in the areas of planning, playgrounds, parks, energy, public transport, walking, cycling, rights-of-way.  Detailed information on my work as a Councillor is on my website www.davidhealy.com

Personal election manifesto:

Why should voters in your constituency vote for you rather than for other candidates, including candidates representing the political party which you represent?

I pledge to work for
•    Quality of life
•    Equality and human rights
•    Global justice
•    An ecologically sound economy
•    A caring and responsible society

I pledge to achieve these goals through
•    Long-term thinking
•    Participative politics
•    Transparent decision-making
•    Accountability

I am running on the basis of this pledge and my record as a Councillor in Fingal County Council.  

I have shown with the energy standards that I can take the initiative and cooperate with others to bring about significant policy change, even as one of only 3 Greens in a Council of 24.  

I have demonstrated that I am willing and able to put in the work to get to grips with complex issues, listen to all points of view and bring effective solutions forward.  

I am eager to continue to work with community organisations and non-governmental organisations.  

I take the responsibility of a democratic mandate as a solemn trust which I bear and I will continue to maintains an active and informative website so that I am accountable for what I do.

What do you consider to be the main election issues in your constituency?

• • Health services based on need not ability to pay
• • Frequent, integrated public transport
• • Safe and pleasant streets for social interaction, for children, pedestrians and cyclists.
• • Creating and protecting pleasant livable communities
• • Effective and accountable local government
• • Planning that meets the needs of communities, not developer-led planning.
• • Climate change including the local impacts of sea-level rise, coastal flooding and erosion.
• • Transition to a low-energy, renewable energy economy
• • Effective and accountable policing
• • Quality Playgrounds, Youth facilities and Community facilities
• • Protection of the coast and Howth Peninsula and public access to same
• • Smaller class sizes

Were do you stand in relation to these constituency issues?

For more details, see the Green election manifesto and my website www.davidhealy.com .

How much money do you expect to spend in the election campaign?

about €10,000

What will be the sources of this finance?

Local group fundraising and personal savings.

This is a paper I wrote with Richard Douthwaite of Feasta and Kevin Leyden of West Virginia University for Comhar‘s conference on Sustainability in the National Development Plan.  It is now online here.

The introduction is below.

Introduction

A transport system can be regarded as sustainable only if it is possible to imagine it being continued
unchanged for several hundred years because it is not damaging society or the environment and is not
dependent on a non-renewable, depleting resource to run. However, as this report shows, the Irish
transport system has developed over the past few years in a way which has made it less sustainable by
becoming, on a per capita basis, more heavily dependent on one increasingly scarce non-renewable
resource – oil – than perhaps any other system in Europe. This dependency has arisen largely because
of the recent under-priced, uncontrolled growth in the use of the private car. Many of the houses,
shopping centres and industrial estates built recently will turn out to be very badly located if cars become
too costly to use on anything like the present scale as a result of the increased cost of oil, whether the
increase is a result of resource depletion or measures to protect the global climate.

This report begins by looking at the increased use of the Irish transport system in recent years and the
extent to which the increases were necessitated by the country’s economic growth. It shows that the
increase in freight transport was largely unavoidable given the growth path followed but, if the pattern
adopted in other EU countries had been followed, more of it could have been carried by rail. In Ireland,
unlike most EU states, rail freight tonnage has declined in the past ten years.

However, where the country went more seriously wrong was in keeping the cost of driving a mile in a
private car very low, with the result that demand for car use was higher than it would have been if the
same tax burden had been imposed on motorists in a different way. Specifically, Ireland made the cost
of owning a car high, but the cost of using one low, too low to cover the externalities imposed by a
vehicle’s use on the rest of the population, Removing this subsidy would have encouraged people to pay
more attention to minimising the distance they travel to work and to lower energy transport modes. As
aviation has also been subsidised by allowing it untaxed fuel and by the state paying a large proportion
of the cost of flights from Dublin to regional airports, overall, the historically low cost of energy and the
subsidies have encouraged people to use highly energy intensive transport modes and for less energy
intensive ones to grow more slowly or to decline.

The report discusses the far-reaching environmental and social effects of allowing these changes to
happen. It then turns to look at the policies and techniques that are available to rectify the situation.

Tá mé ag iarraidh polasaí a chur i bhfeidhm chun cinntiú go mbeadh Gaeilge ar comharthaí an chomhairle conntae ar bonn cothrom leis an Béarla.   Beidh an rún seo ar an clár don cruinniú míosúil ar 14 Bealtaine.  Thainig an téacs ó dréacht ríalacháin a d’fhoilsigh an t-Aire Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta i 2006 ach nach bhfuil curtha i bhfeidhm go fóill.
That the Council adopt the following signage policy to apply to all new or replacement signs commissioned from 1st June 2007 onwards:

(1) Any sign placed by Fingal County Council at any location shall be in the Irish language or in the Irish and English languages.

(2)       Where the Council is of the opinion that, by reason of its containing text in both such languages the sign–

(a)       would be unduly big,
(b)       would be difficult to read,
(c)        could cause an obstruction, or
(d)       persons would, while reading it ,cause a danger to themselves or others (in the case of a proposal to place a sign at the side of or near a road),
the Council  may, instead, place 2 signs at that location, one containing the text concerned in the Irish language and the other containing the text concerned in the English language.

(3)       Where the Council proposes to erect not less than 20 identical signs, the Council may place –

(a)       signs in the Irish language,
(b)    signs in the Irish and English languages,
(c)        2 signs, one in the Irish language and one in the English language in each location.

(4)       Notwithstanding the generality above, a public body may erect signs that are in compliance with the International System of Units as adopted by the Bureau Internationale des poids et mesures, established by the Metre Convention signed at Paris in 1875.

(5)       The following provisions shall apply to a sign in the Irish and English languages placed by the Council:

(a)       the text in the Irish language shall appear first,
(b)       the text in the Irish language shall not be less prominent, visible or legible than the text in the English language,
(c)        the lettering of the text in the Irish language shall not be smaller in size than the lettering of the text in the English language,
(d)       the text in the Irish language shall communicate the same information as is communicated by the text in the English language, and
(e)       a word in the text in the Irish language shall not be abbreviated unless the word in the text in the English language, of which it is the translation, is also abbreviated.

(Note: Based on draft regulations published by the Minister for Community Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.)

{mosimage}Revitalisation of Dublin Bay should include Sutton-to-Sandycove cycleway and more water amenities

The Green Party has promised to revitalise Dublin Bay in an Oireachtas
bill that will soon go before the Dáil. The Party has proposed to
create a new authority to manage and protect the Bay and ensure that
Dubliners and tourists alike can benefit fully from the valuable
resource, which spans from Howth head to Dalkey island.

Launching the bill in Dún Laoghaire today, Green Party Environment spokesperson Ciarán Cuffe TD said: "Dublin Bay is a fantastic resource that has come under increasing development pressure in recent years. It is vital for us to ensure that future development is properly planned, and that water-related sports and leisure facilities are developed and provided for. Although Dublin Bay is getting cleaner, no one authority is in charge of what’s happening. The baths around the bay have been ignored and now lie derelict, and decisions on their future are being left to developers. We need vision, and that’s why we are proposing to create an authority empowered to conceive a master-plan for the conservation as well as the sustainable development of this valuable resource. We would task the authority to create a coastal zone management plan to ensure that flora and fauna are protected.

Green Party Dublin North East candidate Cllr David Healy said: "The authority will ensure that the Sutton to Sandycove cycleway is fast-tracked, in consulatation with local residents, and designed to the highest standards. Already the sections of the route which are in better condition are thronged on weekends and evenings. Ensuring quality design standards all along the route will open this linear park up the city and further stimulate the growing demand for active transport. People will walk or cycle much further and much more often in a pleasant environment.  In our overly sedentary society, the Sutton to Sandycove cycleway will significantly contribute to improving the health of Dublin’s citizens."

Green Party Dublin-North Central candidate Cllr Bronwen Maher said: "The Authority would also look at re-opening the sea water baths around the bay. The Clontarf Baths for example could become a major feature along the cycleway.  Sea-water swimming is an extremely popular activity all year round and these baths would be a great addition to Dublin. Dollymount Strand and Bull Island need a fresh approach too, and we are proposing that cars be removed from the beach. The number of cars on the beach in summer is now a safety issue. Last week-end’s ‘boy racer’ epidemic, which continued throughout the Easter bank holiday, shows that we cannot allow indiscriminate usage by cars any longer. As part of this plan we would also implement increased public transport between Clontarf DART station, the baths and onto Dollymount Strand via the causeway."

Green Party Dublin Central candidate Patricia McKenna said: "We must develop the south docks and Poolbeg peninsula as high amenity residential areas as the first phase of Dublin Port’s eventual removal from the city centre. The docklands area has huge potential to be developed for sustainable, family-friendly accommodation which will provide good quality homes for many generations of Dubliners. The Green Party also sees the Dublin Port Company’s application to infill a further 52 acres in the Bay as unnecessary and inadvisable. The port area has expanded enough and we must ensure that any development in the Port and along the Bay must take into consideration environmental, amenity and community interests, as well as commercial usage."

Green Party Chairman and Dublin-South East candidate John Gormley TD said: "We want to ensure that proposals for high-rise development aren’t treated in a piecemeal fashion, and that there is better co-ordination between councils in Fingal, Dublin City and Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown, as well as the various agencies that control both the shoreline and the bay. We also need to end the discharge of raw sewage into the Bay, while resolving the capacity and odour problems at the Ringsend plant."

The Party set out the following points to come under the remit of a new Dublin Bay Authority. These include:

• Regenerating the public baths around the Bay such as Dún Laoghaire, Blackrock and Clontarf
• Fast-tracking the proposed Sutton to Sandycove cycleway, which has been stuck at planning stage for nearly five years
• Providing greater access to the water for anglers, swimmers and boat users
• Protecting low-lying coastal areas from the risks of flooding due to climate change or natural events
• Developing the south docks and Poolpeg peninsula as high amenity residential areas as the first phase of Dublin Port’s eventual removal from the city centre
• Creation of a Marine Park initially in the area between Sandycove and the East Pier in Dún Laoghaire
• Extending the Luas into Poolbeg Peninsula
• Utilising the heated water from the Poolbeg power plants to provide district heating for apartments along the Liffey
• Ending the discharge of raw sewage into the Bay from the small number of remaining outlets while also resolving the capacity and odour problems at the Ringsend Plant
• Phasing out the parking of cars on the beaches of Bull Island