Minister for Housing intervenes over land zoning plans for housing in Clare

Gordon Deegan

Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien TD has rapped Clare County Council for excessive zoning of lands for housing in its new County Development Plan.

Council members adopted the County Development Plan 2023-2029 at a special meeting last month following public consultation which commenced back in September 2020.

However, Mr O’Brien has now intervened to issue a draft direction contending that the development plan is not in compliance with the requirements of the Planning and Development Act.

The direction stated the plan "includes material amendments to the draft development plan which zone additional residential lands in excess of what is required for Co Clare as set out in the core strategy".

The direction added these zoning objectives and amendments are located in peripheral and/or non-sequential locations "and would encourage a pattern of development in particular locations which is inconsistent with national and regional policy objectives promoting compact forms of development".

The direction said the additional lands zoned include lands that are not serviced or serviceable within the period of the plan.

It added that, as a result, the plan is inconsistent with the requirement to implement a tiered approach to zoning and inconsistent with national policy to promote proportionate growth of settlements.

Flood risk zones

The public notice also highlighted that the development plan has zoned land for uses within flood risk zones, which are vulnerable or highly vulnerable to flood risk, and lands that have not passed the justification test.

Mr O'Brien's direction also said the development plan makes provision for exceptional circumstances for access onto national roads, "which are not consistent with the National Strategic Outcome of the National Planning Framework (NPF) for enhanced regional accessibility".

In a rebuke to the Clare councillors who adopted the plan, the direction said the Minister is of the opinion that the development plan fails to set out an overall strategy for the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

The direction added the county's development plan has failed to implement the recommendations of the Office of the Planning Regulator.

The council is now inviting members of the public and interested parties to make submissions on the ministerial draft direction from April 28th to May 11th.