CHAPTER 6 HOUSING
“It is Council policy to encourage higher residential densities at suitable locations in accordance with the Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Sustainable Residential Development in Urban Areas (2009). Locations that are appropriate for higher densities include sites that are particularly close to existing or proposed major public transport corridors and nodes”. Higher density developments should only be considered in locations with access to public transport which provides and fast and frequent service. Housing that is located within 1km of a rail service or 500mof a bus stop will not necessarily provide a reliable and frequent public transport service. This statement requires considerable clarification. The proposed use of “bus stops” in the County Development as an indicator for increased density (up to 50 units per ha) makes little sense if the road infrastructure in small villages, such as Delgany, cannot support frequent bus services.
We endorse the principles outlined in section 6.3.1 Sustainable Communities. A social audit with subsequent action can have the potential to transform how we build housing in Wicklow. We strongly support the provision of housing for our older citizens as well as others who might require supported living.
CPO 6.18 is welcomed but will require more clarity to ensure that it is implemented correctly-
“Require all development proposals, including infill development, to include an analysis of the impact of building height and positioning of buildings on:
The immediate & surrounding environment - streetscape, historic character; Housing Adjoining structures; Open spaces and public realm; Views and Vistas.”
Please identity a practical tool to show how the impact will be assessed. We believe that full 3D tools should be used to see the impact on the local environment and heritage sites in the village. We would also welcome more interaction with the planners in this area in terms of two-way conversations about future plans.
Sequence and Phasing of Housing
CPO 6.20 “Housing development shall be managed and phased to ensure that infrastructure is adequate or is being provided to match the needs of new residents. Where specified by the Planning Authority, new significant residential or mixed use development proposals (of which residential development forms a component), may be required to provide a social and community facility/facilities as part of the proposed development or the developer may be required to carry out a Social Infrastructure Audit…”
The intent of CPO 6.20 is excellent but it needs to be strengthened, suggest replacing “may be required” with “will be required”.
The Plan does not adequately address the value of Biodiverse ecosystems. If the biodiversity value of a site is damaged by development, it cannot be compensated for by a requirement for the developer to allocate or retain a percentage of the site after development as new open space. New planting takes many years to mature to maintain a complex eco system. The emphasis should be on retaining and conserving biodiversity where possible even if this means a reconfiguration of plans and lower density.
Identify “Local Nature Reserves and wildlife corridors”. While there are Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) in Greystones/Delgany, there are also valuable wildlife corridors which should be identified, named and protected.
Trees: A better system for preserving trees is required. Trees also need to be protected from harm during the construction processThere are a number of development sites in this area where only a very limited amount of healthy mature trees have been retained.
Waterways: The recommendations of IFI (Inland Fisheries Ireland) should be implemented as part of the planning process.