Mayo battle against national planning powerhouses escalates
Councillors take united stand on future of rural development along roads approaching national routes
Elected members of Mayo County Council have unanimously opposed a controversial proposal to prohibit development on all roads across the county that lead to a national primary or secondary route.
The decision to reject national and regional policy in adopting the authority's new development plan was taken at yesterday's special meeting to debate the draft document and submissions spanning over 400 pages.
Agencies including the Irish Planning Institute, Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the North Western Regional Authority and the Office of the Planning Regulator are insisting the proposed ban, based ultimately on safety grounds, is in the interest of proper rural development.
A six-strong committee, consisting of councillors Al McDonnell (FF), Peter Flynn (FG), Richard Finn (Ind.), Michael Kilcoyne (Ind.), Jarlath Munnelly (FG) and Damian Ryan (FF), scrutinised the submissions and want them excluded from the dossier.
Councillor McDonnell said the submissions would, if adopted, result in all new commercial, private or retail development not being permitted along all roads ultimately leading to a national road where a speed limit greater than 60km/h applies.
Not only would it affect locations along the N5, N17 and N26, but it will also have an impact along national secondary routes, including the N58, N59, N60, N83 and N84.
“How could this be good for a rural county that is crying out for investment and jobs?
“From Castlebar to Shrule, out to Balla, or on the N59 from Leenane into Bangor and on to Ballina, all development on all roads 'left and right' would be banned.
“That's the reality and we are not prepare to stand for that,” he said.
“The proposal slipped in under spatial planning and national roads ministerial guidelines. But the elected members were alert to it and it won't be slipped through.”
The plan would have serious consequences for development in areas along the new N5 route between Turlough and Westport, which is due to be fully completed early next year.
However, the amendments made by council have not overlooked safety considerations.
The stand-off between the council and the agencies is destined to rumble on for several months until the development plan seeks ministerial approval.
The amendments made at yesterday's meeting will be put on public display in the coming weeks with members of the public invited to make new submissions in regard to the changes made.