Dublin City Council further blocks Stoneybatter Local Area Plan

The recent Stoneybatter Matters public meeting organised by myself and Minister Paschal Donohoe heard from numerous local residents who support our argument for a statutory Stoneybatter Local Area Plan.

Such a plan would provide the framework for the redevelopment of the Stoneybatter area and allow local residents to have a direct say in how each major site in the district would be developed. Following that meeting, I asked the Chief Executive of Dublin City Council “to prioritise the development and compilation of a statutory based Local Area Plan for the Stoneybatter area on foot of his Planning Department’s decision to encourage and grant planning permission for purpose built student accommodation on six of the ten key development sites across Stoneybatter?”

Sadly, but not surprisingly, the City Council ignored the need for a balanced approach development in Stoneybatter by simply trotting the same line that City Planners have for the past four to five years. If the same Planners had have actually to advocates like myself and other local community groups, we could have a statutory Local Area Plan to place that would set out the type of development which would be allowed on the key sites across Stoneybatter.

Councillors have the power to overturn the Chief Executive’s decision and I will be seeking support from all parties, including those parties that run the Council to support our call in Stoneybatter for a balanced approach to development through the establishment and compilation of a Stoneybatter Local Area Plan