10
NOV
2021

Notice of Draft Ministerial Direction – Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027

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Section 31 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (As Amended)
Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027

NOTICE OF DRAFT MINISTERIAL DIRECTION

Notice is hereby given pursuant to Section 31 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended), that on 2 November 2021, the Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, consequent to a recommendation made to him by the Office of the Planning Regulator under section 31AM(8) of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended), has delivered notice of the Minister’s intent to issue a Direction to Meath County Council (being the Planning Authority for County Meath).

The Draft Ministerial Direction relates to the Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027.

The reasons stated for the Draft Direction are:

I. The Development Plan as made is inconsistent with Ministerial Guidelines issued under Section 28 of the Act, specifically The Planning System and Flood Risk Management, Guidelines for Planning Authorities (2009) which require Planning Authorities to avoid development within areas at risk of flooding and to only consider development within areas at risk where it passes the provisions of the sequential approach and plan-making Justification Test detailed in the Guidelines.

II. The Development Plan as made includes material amendments to the draft Plan, that are inconsistent with the Appropriate Assessment and the ‘mitigation/recommendation’ of the Strategic Environmental Assessment and which individually and cumulatively are not consistent with the Core Strategy, national and regional planning policy, and the proper planning and sustainable development of the area, including:

A. Land for development located in peripheral locations detached from the existing settlement, inconsistent with the requirements for compact growth in NPO 3c and RPO 3.2. (Ashbourne MA 08; Moynalty MA 01).

B. Land for development in excess of that needed to meet the core strategy population in the adopted Plan (Table 2.11) and which would further undermine the achievement of brownfield development targets. (Ashbourne MA 08).

C. Land proposed for development despite the fact that the mitigation measures upon which the Appropriate Assessment Conclusion was based included the omission of Slane MA 04 and the provision of a 25m buffer for Athboy MA No. 3, and where no reason for rejecting these mitigation measures or reasoning to support the AA Conclusion without such measures
has been given.

D. Land proposed for development despite the fact that the mitigation/recommendation of the Strategic Environmental Assessment included the omission of Athboy MA 03, East Meath MA 05, Moynalty MA 01, Slane MA 04 (with the exception of Athboy MA03 where an alternative buffer is provided for).

E. Land zoned for development vulnerable to flood risk in areas known to be at risk of flooding contrary to the statutory guidelines of the Minister entitled “The Planning System and Flood Risk Management Guidelines for Planning Authorities” (2009), as revised. (Athboy MA 03, East Meath MA 05, Slane MA 04).

III. The Development Plan has therefore not been made in a manner consistent with the recommendations of the Office of the Planning Regulator under Section 31 AM and fails to set out an overall strategy for the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

 

A copy of the Draft Direction and associated maps may be inspected from 10 November 2021 to 23 November 2021 (inclusive) at https://consult.meath.ie/ and the following locations:
• Meath County Council, Buvinda House, Dublin Road, Navan, Co. Meath, C15 Y291 (Monday to Friday between 9.00am to 1.00pm and 2.00pm to 5.00pm).
• Ashbourne Municipal District,1-2 Killegland Square Upper, Ashbourne, A84 NY73
• Kells Municipal District, Town Hall, Headfort Place, Kells, A82 W2R3
• Laytown/Bettystown Municipal District, Main Street, Duleek, A92 R9KW
• Ratoath Municipal District, Drumree Road, Dunshaughlin
• Trim Municipal District, Mornington House, Summerhill Road, Trim C15 P2HE

The following Public Libraries during the library opening
hours:
• Ashbourne Library, 1-2 Killegland Square, Ashbourne, A84 NY73
• Athboy Library, Kells Road, Athboy, C15 TY80
• Duleek Library, Main Street, Duleek, A92 R9KW
• Dunboyne Library, Castle View, Dunboyne, A86 H393
• Dunshaughlin Library, Main Street, Dunshaughlin, A85 KW81
• Kells Library, Castle Street, Kells, A82 YN52
• Meath County Library / Navan Branch Library, Railway Street, Navan C15 RW31
• Nobber Library, Nobber, A82 YW99
• Oldcastle Library, Millbrook Road, Oldcastle, A82 N125
• Leabharlann Ráth Chairn, Baile Átha Bui, Co na Mi, C15 A9X3
• Slane Library, Castle Hill, Slane, C15 XWFS
• Trim Library, High Street, Trim, C15 P668

 

Submissions/Observations
Submissions or observations with respect to the Draft Direction may be made between 10th November to 4pm on Tuesday 23rd November, 2021.

Submissions or observations must include the full name and address of the person(s) making the submission or observation and where relevant, the body or organisation represented. The details including the names of those making submissions may be shared with relevant Council Departments or their agents.

Submissions or observations should be in ONE medium only i.e. online or hard copy and made as follows:
• Online at https://consult.meath.ie/ or
• In writing to: Senior Executive Officer, Planning Department, Meath County Council, Buvinda House, Dublin Road, Navan, Co Meath, C15 Y291

Please note submissions or observations that are emailed cannot be considered and will be returned.

Only submissions or observations received in relation to the Draft Direction during the above time period will be taken
into consideration.

Submissions or observations will be made public on the website and at the offices of Meath County Council, Buvinda House and will also form part of the statutory Chief Executive’s Report to be submitted to the Minister and the Office of the Planning Regulator. You are responsible for ensuring that no vexatious, libelous or confidential information, including confidential information in relation to a third party (in respect of which the third party has not, expressly, or impliedly in the  circumstances, consented to its disclosure) is included in your submission. The Planning Authority reserves the right to
redact any submission or part thereof.

The personal information (data) collected during the consultation process (which may include the collection of sensitive personal data) is collected for the purpose of receiving and dealing with submissions and any data collected is subject to Meath County Council’s privacy statement which can be found at https://www.meath.ie/council/your-council/your-data-and-access-to-information/data-protection/privacy-notices/planning-department

For any queries please email planning@meathcoco.ie or phone 046/9097500.

 

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