According to the Manager's Report there is a surplus of 7 times the
required zoning for residential development in the current plan.
With an excess of lands zoned for housing within the boundaries of
Westport Town Council it is inappropriate for any extra lands to be
zoned within the boundaries of Westport Town Council for residential
housing. Consequently the Manager's recommendation to zone such lands
north of Westport House estate on the Golf Course Road for residential
development to provide 90 additional units of housing on 6 hectares of
land is unsustainable and inappropriate, contrary to good planning and
practice and should be abandoned. The readiness of Management to
facilitate the above zoning and its disposal to private developers by
removing the phasing of the commercial core is contrary to good
planning and should be abandoned.
It is contrary to good planning, practise and land use to insert an
area of development into the area identified as the historic core of
the estate. It does not take into consideration proper environmental
and planning considerations such as the visual amenity, historical and
heritage importance of the estate or its proximity to Natura 2000
sites or impact on the listed buildings and structures and their
curtailage. The historic core is by its very nature in need of
preservation from development yet this plan recommends zoning lands
west Hotel Westport, within the historic core, as being suitable for
development of tourist related buildings. This is completely
inappropriate development in a very sensitive area of the estate.
Considering the lands removed from the estate by compulsory purchase
by Westport Town Council in the early 1950s this would constitute a
further invasion of the town core into the estate indeed into the
historic core of the estate. This is unsuitable and inappropriate and
should be abandoned. This historic core must be sterilised and
protected from any new development. Such a provision would impact
negatively on the fabric of the overall estate.
The proposal to allow stand alone buildings within the historic core
such as a theatre, conference centre, hotel, etc is contrary to good
planning and practise to zone for such developments. It does not
take into consideration proper environmental and planning
considerations such as the visual amenity, historical and heritage
importance of the estate or its proximity to Natura 2000 sites or the
listed buildings and their curtailage. Any such development would
destroy the purpose of the zoning of a historic core and would impact
negatively on the fabric of the estate.
It is good planning to facilitate the pedestrian links with the estate
and the town especially in the vicinity of Church Lane. It is vital
to the sustainability and viability of the estate that some form of
vehicular access be provided, on restricted dates, to facilitate the
smooth and proper development of the estate as a venue for concerts,
public events and meetings, festivals and fairs which are much more in
keeping with the estate and are sustainable and do not interfere with
the fabric of the estate, its heritage or historic value.
The development of a nursing home in the area known as Colonel's Wood
should be prevented. It is an inappropriate development in a woodland
and the access road is unsuitable. Any felling in the area must
result in replanting as the woodland constitutes an important visual
feature of the town.
The lands in Monamore/Drummindoo are not on the town sewerage scheme
or town water supply. The roads in the area are already substandard
and have no footpaths or street lighting. In the Town Development
Plan there are no lands specifically zoned for recreation/amenity.
This area would be best suited to meeting the very real need for such
lands zonings within the Westport area. Westport already has two
industrial estates. The zoning of the lands in Monamore/Drummindoo do
not reflect proper planning practice and are surplus to requirements.
Councillor Keith Martin
33 Pairc na Coille
Westport
Mayo
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