Dublin city councillors are set to reverse a controversial ban on housing on religious-owned land they approved only last September.
Tonight's meeting of the council is expected to overturn a proposed change to the draft city development plan which would have removed housing as one of the permissible types of development allowed on Z15 or "long-term institutional" land.
Most Z15 land is owned by the churches, in particular the Archbishop of Dublin and the Conference of Religious in Ireland, which threatened legal action against the councillors, saying the change would greatly devalue their properties.
Orders such as the Jesuits argued they would have to move schools out of the city unless they were free to fund activities by selling off parcels of land to developers. Following intensive lobbying by church organisations and other property interests, all the main parties have put forward amendments to the original ban. Most have the effect of allowing residential development on the church-owned lands.
A composite motion from several of the larger parties is expected to go forward to tomorrow's meeting, at which councillors will start finalising the development plan for the city for 2005-2011. The city manager, Mr John Fitzgerald, also opposed the planned change.
In a report to councillors last month, he argued it was unconstitutional and would adversely affect the ability of religious institutions to operate in the city. He cited a letter from the Department of the Environment which stated the proposal contravened regional planning guidelines.
PD Councillor Wendy Hederman, who proposed the original ban, said yesterday she remained hopeful the change would remain in the final development plan.
"This is a critical issue for the city at a time when the population is increasing rapidly. The citizens will not thank us if they find in 10 years' time that there are no recreational or community facilities left, or enough schools and playing fields for their children."
Ms Hederman said the change had been portrayed as "anti-religious" but in reality "consideration for residential use" on long-term institutional land provided a "back door" for large residential developments which were contrary to the intentions of the zoning. In recent weeks, hundreds of constituents and local residents had contacted her to say they didn't want to see educational and recreational lands in the city "succumb to the developers' zeal".
Already there are planning applications in to build houses on school grounds at Sandford Park and plans to build on the hockey pitch at Alexandra College.
Labour, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have all submitted motions proposing a lifting of the ban. Labour and Fianna Fáil say that while housing would be allowed on Z15 land, up to 25 per cent of the property would have to be set aside for open space and/or community facilities.
Labour also wants planning permission to be conditional on the provision of adequate recreational and sporting facilities.
Fine Gael, in calling for the earlier proposal to be reversed, says a study should be carried out of all Z15 land to identify and allocate uses that would best serve the community.
Councillors are also likely to reverse a proposal which would have seen a number of religious-owned properties, including Alexandra College, Terenure College and Gonzaga College, rezoned from Z12, which allows housing, to Z15.
