The Wicklow County Manager, Mr Blaise Treacy, has asked for more time to make a statement on the recent High Court judgment that a proposed dump at Ballymagran, near Rathnew, should not proceed as planned. He has agreed, however, to provide councillors with a monthly update on the status of all High Court actions in which the council is involved.
Speaking at a council meeting yesterday, the first since the High Court judgment, Mr Treacy said he was anxious to make a statement on the matter. However, clerical difficulties had resulted in errors in the typing of the document, which meant the council had not had the opportunity to study the text in conjunction with its legal advisers, he said.
On the proposal of Mr George Jones (FG), it was agreed the councillors would be provided with a written monthly update on the High Court actions. "I think it should cover all the judicial reviews etc that are going on in the High Court," Mr Jones said.
The proposal was supported by Mr Tommy Cullen (Labour), who asked that the Blessington development plan be put on the agenda for the March meeting. Mr Cullen, referring to another High Court decision to set aside planning permission for quarrying at Glending in west Wicklow, said: "The Blessington and Ballynagran decisions were two which came within a week of each other and they deserve to be discussed."
Within the past four weeks, Wicklow County Council has had five planning matters mentioned in the High Court. They are:
1. The Ballynagran dump. The High Court ruled in favour of locals opposed to the location of a 300-acre dump near Rathnew.
2. Quarrying at Glending. The High Court upheld a case made by Blessington Heritage Trust and set aside the council's Blessington Development Plan.
3. 363 houses at Delgany. Members of the Delgany Area Residents' Action Group successfully appealed to An Bord Pleanala against planning permission for 294 houses near the village last year. Now they are asking the High Court for a judicial review of the granting of planning permission for 263 houses on a slightly smaller site, on the same land, by the same developer.
4. Glen of the Downs. Eco-warriors, or vigil keepers, have been granted a judicial review of the council's decision to widen the N11 through the Glen of the Downs nature reserve.
5. Newtown development. The High Court was asked last week to prevent the council from granting planning permission to a named developer for a commercial development at Newtownmountkennedy.