Agenda item

To consider having regard to the extraordinary circumstances arising from the risk to public health posed by the spread of COVID 19 and the disruption to the completion of the review of the Development Plan and the preparation of a new plan caused by restrictions introduced in response to the COVID 19 pandemic, whether a further period is necessary and appropriate to complete the review and to prepare and make a new Development Plan and the length of that period.

Minutes:

Referring to the report circulated to the members, Mr Joseph Gilhooly advised that the County Development Plan is under review and currently is due for conclusion in June 2022. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the review process has been hampered in a number of Local Authorities and legislation has been introduced to enable Planning Authorities to seek an extension of the Development Plan Review process.  Leitrim County Council intend to extend the review process by a period of 9 months.

 

Cathaoirleach, Councillor Paddy O’Rourke said every opportunity should be given to complete the review of the County Development Plan and to prepare a new Development Plan for County Leitrim.

 

Councillor Enda McGloin proposed the extension of 9 months for the review of the County Development Plan based on the reasons as set out in the briefing note circulated to Elected Members.  Councillor Padraig Fallon supported the proposal.

 

Councillor Des Guckian said he opposed the extension of the review of the County Development Plan process. Councillor Guckian said that there is a large number of staff in the Planning Department, they are hiding behind the excuse of COVID-19 and the review has been side-tracked by projects from the Capital Projects Office that are of no benefit to the people of Leitrim.  Councillor Guckian referred to the 3-month extension that was sought for the submissions on the Carrick-Dromod N4 Route Options public consultation, which was refused. He said he would see a big danger extending the review of the County Development Plan as it would give speculators and vulture funds time to buy land in Leitrim.

 

Councillor Mary Bohan disagreed with Councillor Des Guckian’s comments outlining that due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the review of the County Development Plan process has been hampered and this extension will give citizens in Leitrim the opportunity to highlight their views and she supported the extension.

 

Councillor Sean McDermott agreed with the proposal and said it is important to get it right.  Councillor Sean McDermott asked what the protocol is in relation to the submissions received on the Draft County Development Plan.

 

Mr Joseph Gilhooly said the submissions received will be published along with the Preliminary Draft Development Plan with Chief Executive’s Report which will issue to the Members in Mid-October. Mr Joseph Gilhooly outlined that the Planning Department operating in a county of the scale of Leitrim, consists of a small permanent complement of planners augmented as necessary with temporary contract staff. Arising from the required work processes adjustments due to the Covid-19 restrictions along with direct and indirect Covid-19 related absences, the functionality of the Planning Department has been severely impacted over the past 12 months. During this time, the Planning Authority has had to prioritise the statutory deadlines as required in the Development Management and Enforcement functions over the course of 2021, with the resultant and unavoidable negative impact on the preparation of the draft County Development Plan. Mr Gilhooly said the County Development Plan is an important strategic plan for 6 years.  Throughout the course of the preparation of the County Development Plan, the resources of the Planning Department are augmented by engaging external specialist consultants.  This work involves the undertaking of surveys and attending to site visits as required. The consultants engaged were unable to undertake the required surveys and attend site visits for extensive periods of the past year due from Covid -19 restrictions, only completing these tasks since mid Q2 of this year. The consequence is that the preparation of the draft County Development Plan 2022-2028 is approximately 7 months behind schedule. 

 

Mr Gilhooly noted that Leitrim County Council have a very ambitious Capital Investment Programme and all projects considered or undertaken are for the betterment of the County.  Mr Gilhooly said the period for submissions on the N4 project had been more than adequate and this project will be going through further phases of public consultation.

 

Cathaoirleach, Councillor Paddy O’Rourke asked if there was a further proposal not to extend the review process by a period of 9 months.  There was no further proposal and in the absence of no proposal the first proposal was carried.

 

 

On the PROPOSAL of Cllr. Enda McGloin

             SECONDED by Cllr. Padraig Fallon

 

 

It was AGREED under Section 9A (2) of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, that a further period of 9 months is necessary and appropriate to complete the review and to prepare a new development plan for Co. Leitrim. The resolution is then submitted to the Chief Executive along with the reasons given for reaching this resolution (as outlined in the submitted Briefing Note).