Social Democrats Councillors will take part in a series of votes across several important issues facing the city at tonight’s Dublin City Council meeting. One of the major items of business will pertain to the potential rezoning of large swathes of industrial land across the city for residential use.
The Social Democrats Cllrs say they have significant concern about what has been the complete undermining of the Dublin City Development Plan by politically motivated guidelines and circulars issued by Eoghan Murphy during his tenure as Housing Minister. The Social Democrats are committed to reversing these decisions. The Cllrs say that given the undermining of the city development plan, it is impossible for Cllrs to have any oversight of what would eventually be built on any rezoned lands and as a result they will vote against the rezoning proposals.
Social Democrats Councillor for the Clontarf Ward,Catherine Stocker said:
“Under Alan Kelly’s tenure as Housing Minister we saw the start of a reduction in standards – particularly in relation to apartments. This reduction continued unabated under Minister Eoghan Murphy and we are now at a point where Minster Murphy’s attack on the City Development Plan, specifically in relation to SHDs, the significant lowering of apartment standards and the removal of height restrictions, is so detrimental, that any rezoned land is liable to end up with poorly integrated developments which are out of sync with the local community surrounding them.
Social Democrats Councillor for the Artane Whitehall Ward, Patricia Roe said:
“The fact that Cllrs would have zero oversight on the developments which could proceed on any rezoned lands is a source of major concern and it is for this reason that we will oppose the rezoning proposals tonight. This is very much a vote against bad planning and a lowering of building standards.”
Separately tonight the Social Democrats will also support recommendations put forward on foot of a previous motion by former their former council colleague Gary Gannon TD, regarding the Draft Development Contribution Scheme which will see parks, open spaces, and community facilities all receive increased funding from the scheme. The Social Democrats say that such an approach speaks very clearly of their desire to build sustainable and vibrant communities rather than just bricks and mortar developments.
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