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    Wednesday 14 September 2011

    Submission

    I would like to make the following observations.

    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

    Letter to the editor

    Dear Editor,

     

    I am writing to you to express my concerns in relation to the proposed zonings of Westport House Demesne which will permit tourism accommodation as well as a hotel or conference centre to be built adjacent to Westport House.

     

    The proposals include allowing large single structure buildings i.e. a hotel. hostel or conference centre to be built near the house in the area of the front lawn and to allow holiday accommodation to be built inside the gates at Hotel Westport, down as far as the old zoo.

     

    At the meeting of the 28th of July I raised my objections to both these provisions but no other councillor shared my concerns or would second my motions opposing them.

     

    As a result these proposals are now contained within the current Westport Town and Environs Plan for Westport which will be voted on by Westport Town councillors at a meeting later in the year.

     

    I am concerned that there is a very low level of awareness of these proposals and am concerned also by the damage such proposals would do to the fabric of Westport House Demesne.

     

    In the 1950s Westport Urban District Council acquired by compulsory purchase order a large section of the Demesne on the Newport Road, this was later followed by the development of what is now Westport Woods Hotel and more recently the development of Westport's waste treatment plant on the Golf Course Road.  If we continue to allow elements of the estate to be parceled of for development there will be nothing left of the estate's great heritage.

     

    There are many positives within the plan including a visitors' centre detailing the life of Granuaile, the revamping of the existing tourism facilities including new accommodation in the vicinity of the farmyard and campsites and the development of the estate as concert and public event venue.

     

    However I would urge those who share my concerns in relation to protecting the historic core of Westport House to contact their local representatives and councilors and make their feelings known before it goes to a vote.

     

    Sincerely

     

    Keith Martin

    Councillor

    Westport Town Council

    Monday 12 September 2011

    Westport House Submissions

    MAP OF WESTPORT HOUSE PLANS
    Click above for a copy of the map

    Submissions can be made by email to dkeane@mayococo.ie

    Deadline 5pm Wednesday September 14th


    Labour’s Cllr Martin is calling on Westport people to make submissions
    on the new Town and Environ plan before the closing date of September
    14th.  The plan deals with Westport House, Knockranny/Colonel woods,
    Westport Town and Environs.

    Cllr Martin says the public need to be aware of what he calls “drastic
    and controversial” zonings proposed in the plan.

    Under the new zoning proposals for Westport House Demesne, a large
    building such as a 140 bedroom hotel or a conference centre could be
    built adjacent to Westport House.  The plan also allows for tourism
    development on the estate adjacent to Hotel Westport and for the
    development of 90 units of housing in the Demesne on the Golf Course
    Road.

    Labour’s councilor Keith Martin has previously expressed his concerns
    at these developments at the July meeting on the Zoning when he
    proposed that no building be allowed near the house and that plans for
    tourism development at the Hotel Westport gate be abandoned but his
    motion was not seconded by any other councilor.

    “I am very concerned that the estate is being dismantled piece by
    piece for development.  If we allow this to continue there will be
    very little left of the estate to preserve for future generations.”

    Cllr Martin did go on to say that he was encouraged by the plans for
    the rest of the estate for a visitor’s centre, tourist accommodation
    on the current campsite areas and new attractions but that his main
    concerns where in relation to the further incursion of the town into
    the estate and the proposal for building near the house itself which
    would destroy the historic core of the estate.

    “I was very disappointed that every other councilor on Westport Town
    Council is in favour of cutting up more of Westport House Estate for
    development.  I thought that maybe we had learned from the past and
    from the recession that housing and development where not stable or
    sustainable development.

    “I am in favour of facilitating Westport House as a venue for tourism
    and for music concerts and public events and to that end we are
    working with the residents of Church Lane to allow access for trucks
    and Lorries for these events to access the estate from there.  This
    would only be a couple of times a year for a few hours and the access
    would only be for equipment that cannot be brought over the bridge at
    Westport House.

    In relation to the Colonel’s Wood development I was the councilor who
    lead the original opposition to the idea of a nursing home there.  I
    compared its design and location to something akin to the Furher
    Bunker and I stand by that.  I am glad that this development will not
    be going ahead.  The whole project was just a get rich quick scheme
    for Coilte.

    “In relation to the Town Centre, of course there is too much land
    zoned for housing, there always has been, but I am not in favour or
    reopening the whole issue only a year after we finalized the last
    plan.  That plan protected the Town Core’s heritage and I was able to
    protect the Bank of Ireland garden.  I don’t want to open that can of
    worms again.  The whole plan will be up for review in less than four
    years and we can have a look then and see where we stand regarding
    housing lands.”

    “The real problem as far as I am concerned lies outside the town in
    the Environs plan where almost all the environs are zoned for even
    more housing on lands that are not serviced by Westport Town Council.
    Its bungalow bliss out there and you also have the ridiculous
    situation of lands like the former coursing field still being zoned
    for development.  Development that will never come!

    Cllr Martin is calling on people to make submissions on the plan
    before the closing date of September 14th.  There is no fee and
    submissions can be made in writing or by email to Ann Moore, Town
    Clerk, Westport Civic Offices, Westport, Mayo.

    Agenda for next week's meeting

     

     

    AGENDA

    SEPTEMBER MEETING OF WESTPORT TOWN COUNCIL

    TO BE HELD ON THURSDAY 15TH SEPTEMBER 2011 AT 5.30PM

     

     

     

    01)     To confirm Minutes of meeting of Westport Town Council held on

              14th July 2011;

     

    02)    To confirm Minutes of Special meeting of Westport Town Council held          on 28th July, 2011;

     

    03)    Planning;

     

    04)    To consider report dated 9th September 2011 in accordance with Part 8

    of the Local Government (Planning & Development) Regulations 2001 in respect of proposed Environmental Improvement Works at the Octagon;

               

    05)    Update on Roadwork's programme;

     

    06)    Tidy Towns Competition 2011;

     

    07)    Get Out There Festival 2011;

     

    08)    EU Mobility Week 2011;

     

    09)    To appoint Amenity Grant Committee 2011;

     

    10)     Conference;

     

    11)      Any Other Business

    Friday 9 September 2011

    Make a submission on the future of Westport Co Mayo. Time is almost up.


    Next Wednesday September 14th is the closing date for submissions on the Westport Town Plan & the Westport Environs Plan. 
    • 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; in the Environs Plan there are 5 acres. Any sort of football organisation would need a minimum of 10 acres to meet current and future needs
    • We have 2 industrial parks in town, one is virtually empty and the other one is at 50% capacity. Throughout the town we had numerous empty commercial building and shops.
    • There are 882 houses/apartments which have planning permission but have not commenced construction. Under the new planning legislation applicants can extend their planning timelines by 5 years even if the land associated with the development is rezoned.
    • Per the recent census one in four houses in Westport are unoccupied and the town had a population of approximately 5,500 people. Using a very conservative estimate this would equate to at least 750 houses. This does not take into consideration the 5 unfinished housing estates/apartment blocks in the area.
    • The proposed N5 from Castlebar to Westport will run directly through Monamore/Drummindoo. The cost of these lands will be significantly higher if the zoning is changed from "Agriculture" to "Commercial/residential" thus increasing the cost to the tax-payer in multiples of the real value
    To see the full report in relation to the latest stage of the Town & Environs Plan please click on the following link:

    If you would like to make a submission please send an e-mail to dkeane@mayococo.ie by next Wednesday September 14th at 5pm. 

    Sunday 4 September 2011

    Submission on Zonings

    Labour's Cllr Martin is calling on Westport people to make submissions
    on the new Town and Environ plan before the closing date of September
    14th. The plan deals with Westport House, Knockranny/Colonel woods,
    Westport Town and Environs.

    Cllr Martin says the public need to be aware of what he calls "drastic
    and controversial" zonings proposed in the plan.

    Under the new zoning proposals for Westport House Demesne, a large
    building such as a 140 bedroom hotel or a conference centre could be
    built adjacent to Westport House. The plan also allows for tourism
    development on the estate adjacent to Hotel Westport and for the
    development of 90 units of housing in the Demesne on the Golf Course
    Road.

    Labour's councilor Keith Martin has previously expressed his concerns
    at these developments at the July meeting on the Zoning when he
    proposed that no building be allowed near the house and that plans for
    tourism development at the Hotel Westport gate be abandoned but his
    motion was not seconded by any other councilor.

    "I am very concerned that the estate is being dismantled piece by
    piece for development. If we allow this to continue there will be
    very little left of the estate to preserve for future generations."

    Cllr Martin did go on to say that he was encouraged by the plans for
    the rest of the estate for a visitor's centre, tourist accommodation
    on the current campsite areas and new attractions but that his main
    concerns where in relation to the further incursion of the town into
    the estate and the proposal for building near the house itself which
    would destroy the historic core of the estate.

    "I was very disappointed that every other councilor on Westport Town
    Council is in favour of cutting up more of Westport House Estate for
    development. I thought that maybe we had learned from the past and
    from the recession that housing and development where not stable or
    sustainable development.

    "I am in favour of facilitating Westport House as a venue for tourism
    and for music concerts and public events and to that end we are
    working with the residents of Church Lane to allow access for trucks
    and Lorries for these events to access the estate from there. This
    would only be a couple of times a year for a few hours and the access
    would only be for equipment that cannot be brought over the bridge at
    Westport House.

    In relation to the Colonel's Wood development I was the councilor who
    lead the original opposition to the idea of a nursing home there. I
    compared its design and location to something akin to the Furher
    Bunker and I stand by that. I am glad that this development will not
    be going ahead. The whole project was just a get rich quick scheme
    for Coilte.

    "In relation to the Town Centre, of course there is too much land
    zoned for housing, there always has been, but I am not in favour or
    reopening the whole issue only a year after we finalized the last
    plan. That plan protected the Town Core's heritage and I was able to
    protect the Bank of Ireland garden. I don't want to open that can of
    worms again. The whole plan will be up for review in less than four
    years and we can have a look then and see where we stand regarding
    housing lands."

    "The real problem as far as I am concerned lies outside the town in
    the Environs plan where almost all the environs are zoned for even
    more housing on lands that are not serviced by Westport Town Council.
    Its bungalow bliss out there and you also have the ridiculous
    situation of lands like the former coursing field still being zoned
    for development. Development that will never come!

    Cllr Martin is calling on people to make submissions on the plan
    before the closing date of September 14th. There is no fee and
    submissions can be made in writing or by email to Ann Moore, Town
    Clerk, Westport Civic Offices, Westport, Mayo.