Leitrim County Councillors approve new County Development Plan

Leitrim County Councillors have voted to adopt a new County Development Plan at a special meeting in Carrick-on-Shannon.

More than 100 weeks of work have gone into the creation of the new County Development Plan. The most recent public consultation was held from October 26 to November 23, 2022. Following this 16 submissions were received 15 of which came from statutory bodies such as Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) or the Office of Public Works (OPW) and one from a member of the public. Following this councillors were issued with the Chief Executive's report of recommendations just before Christmas last year.

At today's meeting in the Council chambers in Carrick-on-Shannon, members voted on a number of amendments recommended as a result of consideration of these submissions.

While most amendments were straightforward matters , some were the subject of debate, in particular forestry and future plans for such developments in the county. However, after nearly two hours of discussion, councillors voted to adopt the new plan.

Following this vote, Cllr Des Guckian outlined his objections to the plan stating he believed that Europe has plans "to turn the west of Ireland into a national forest park" and expressed his fears that the Planning and Development Bill coming before the Dáil and the Seanad, will only lead to the strengthening of the legal status of ministerial guidelines, to the detriment of counties like Leitrim.

He said he was "forecasting" a time where there won't be a hilltop or mountaintop without wind farms on it and said that this latest County Development Plan is the "final nail in the coffin" of Leitrim County Council influencing the future of the county.

However other councillors disputed his claims, pointing out that Cllr Guckian was not offering an alternate proposal to the adoption of the plan and noting that councillors had been offered "plenty of opportunity" during the process, to highlight concerns and seek clarity on all parts of the draft plan.

Chief Executive, Lar Power, thanked everyone involved in the process from the staff of the Council to the councillors and the public, and said that he believed that the Council has created a plan which is "very fit for purpose".

Cllr Guckian however insisted everyone was "ignoring the elephant" in the room and as the meeting concluded said he was leaving the meeting in protest.

The new County Development Plan takes effect from March 21, 2023 and will run until 2029.