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Controversial Bulloch Harbour proposal passed

Thursday, 18 March 2010

COUNCILLORS at Dun Laoghaire Rathdown have passed a controversial proposal to rezone a scenic Southside harbour for commercial and residential development. At the final meeting of the county development plan process last week it was agreed that Bulloch Harbour in Dalkey should be rezoned. However, due to some opposition to the proposal, councillors finally agreed to remove certain contentious development uses from the rezoning. At an earlier stage of the development plan in November, council management put forward a motion that would have allowed for major commercial and residential development at the harbour. The 'W' zoning would have included advertising structures, hotels, offices, a public house, commercial and residential development, a retirement home, science and technology-based industry, a school or church as well as Travellers' accommodation. Cllr Richard Boyd Barrett (PBP) subsequently proposed to reinstate the existing zoning 'J', which would have ensured the preservation of the harbour for 'open space and recreational activity'. After a heated debate on the matter at the county development plan meeting last week, councillors finally reached a compromise position. Cllr Boyd Barrett agreed to withdraw his motion to retain the 'J' zoning and it was then agreed to rezone Bulloch Harbour to the 'W' zoning. Councillors also agreed to remove a number of uses including the development of a hotel, motel, public house, nightclub and off-licence from the Bulloch Harbour site. After the meeting Cllr Mary Mitchell O'Connor (FG) said she was outraged that Bulloch Harbour had been rezoned for development. “This is very worrying as Bulloch is a place where people of all ages have gone for hundreds of years,” she said. “Boat trippers to Dalkey Island – and fishermen and young children who love to feed the seals every year – would lose out if this harbour was to be developed on. It would be sinful.” She added: “It is absolutely ridiculous to think that in an economic climate such as this we are actually considering such a proposal.” Cllr Boyd Barrett (PBP) claimed his motion and public lobbying had forced other councillors to amend their own previous zoning proposal and remove some of the more controversial development uses that were permitted under the zoning agreed in November. “Whereas the draft plan approved in November allowed for such things as pubs, hotels and off licences, these have now been removed from the zoning guidelines which governed any future development of the harbour,” he said. A spokesman for the council said: "It is considered that the 'W' zoning objective in combination with Specific Local Objective no 22 is more than adequate to address the issue of protecting the special character of the area. “Any development proposal brought forward would have to have specific regard to the sensitivities of the area in terms of height, scale, density and quality of architecture.” The spokesman added that the draft County Development Plan 2010 - 2016 was adopted by the members at their meeting last week.