Special meeting sought over planning crux in rural Limerick
MAYOR Francis Foley is to be asked to organise a special meeting of the local authority to discuss housing issues in rural Ireland.
It comes following a recommendation from the Adare-Rathkeale municipal district, whose members have said the housing crisis is causing “acute hardship” in Limerick and around the country.
The new development plan – which governs what can and cannot be given planning permission across Limerick – has proven controversial.
Members, particularly in rural Limerick, have expressed anger over the fact once-off houses are in effect banned.
Veteran Fianna Fail councillor Kevin Sheahan said: “At the time there is an acute shortage of housing, instead of alleviating the situation, we’ve adopted this development plan [which rules out one-off houses].”
“There are people who cannot get a home, and cannot get a mortgage. There is a crisis in this county. We are the housing authority and all of us need to come out and address this situation. It is causing hardship to everyone across Limerick.”
Fine Gael’s Adam Teskey seconded Cllr Sheahan’s suggestion saying the current development plan as adopted is “aggressive and regressive to people in rural Ireland.”
He also expressed concerns over the number of behind-closed-doors meetings which took place in the build-up to the passing of the development plan last year.
“The public has a right to know what is happening. Misconstrued information from these meetings are spreading like wildfire. These meetings must not be held behind-closed-doors,” Cllr Teskey said.
The Development Plan is the first combined plan for the city and county since the two authorities came together.
It sets out a blueprint for the development of Limerick from a physical, economic, social and environmental perspective from now until 2028.
Its vision is that Limerick will become a green city region on the Shannon Estuary.
It’s provided lands to accommodate more than 15,500 new homes over the lifetime of the Plan.
It envisages growth in the existing built-up areas of Limerick City, including Mungret and Annacotty; Newcastle West and throughout the many towns and villages around rural Limerick.
Special measures on the plan – which came into effect at the end of July last, included the zoning of lands for a data centre.
Areas for enterprise and employment were provided in Ballykeefe, Mungret and Dooradoyle
Extra space for mixed-use developments are being earmarked for use at two locations at Pa Healy Road on the city’s outskirts.