Madam, - The conversion of part of Blackrock Park to a car-park is another negative act by Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council which will further erode the open space of this magnificent coastal area.
The council, which is is charged with protecting this open space, is ignoring the wishes of local people. As a former county councillor for the area it is my view that the works being carried out at Booterstown are not exempt development and therefore require planning consent. No such consent was sought.
I have formally requested from Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council a declaration pursuant to section 5 of the Planning and Development Acts 2000-2007 in relation to this matter.
The council has four weeks to respond. I have asked that in the meantime the county manager should request the works to stop.
Only after a declaration is made can An Bord Pleanála consider a complaint. The procedure costs money and is slow, but the process has to be followed.
The real scandal about what is happening at Booterstown is the councillors' lack of any power to halt these works on designated open space. - Yours, etc,
VICTOR BOYHAN,
Dun Laoghaire,
Co Dublin.