MEP Patricia McKenna (GP) has accused the Government of
"evading its responsibilities" by not insisting on an
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the Stepaside Area
Action Plan.
At a public meeting last week in the area she announced that
she had received a letter from the European Commission
outlining the Government's position on the matter.
"The Irish Government is refusing to acknowledge the
need for an EIA to assess the impacts of the Stepaside Area
Action PlanÓ explained Deputy McKenna.
"The Government is contending that each planning application
will be assessed on its own merits". This is completely
ludicrous," she said.
The area action plan was approved last summer by Dun
Laoghaire Rathdown County Council without an EIA and was
referred to the European Commission following a complaint by
Deputy McKenna.
She argued that it was the accumulative effects of
developments on a given area which must be assessed.
"This project will almost double the size of the town,"
she said.
"There has been no thorough traffic survey, the public
transport system is completely.inadequate and there are
already serious traffic problems.
Deputy McKenna was also concerned at other issues which would
be covered with an EIA such as lack of services, loss of
green spaces, waste provisions, the impact on soil, water,
flora and fauna as well as the cultural and archaeological
heritage.
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She drew attention to the fact that the European
Commission have already taken issue with "project splitting"
at the Ballymun regeneration plan, where the same method of
assessing separate applications was favoured.
"The Commission issued a first letter of warning last
December stating that an overall EIA had to be carried out
(in Ballymun)," she said.
"Residents are entitled to know how a major project will
impact on their town and their every day lives," she
added.
Lettie McCarthy, of the Stepaside Area Residents'
Association, was disappointed by the government's
response.
"If an EIA is in the interests of the people and the
environment., it shouldn't be down to whether it's required
or not,Ó said Ms McCarthy.
She complained that very few concerns raised by residents
when the plan was on display, were actually addressed.
"The greenway spine included in the plan is meant to
.have walkways. a feeder bus and a cycle way, thatÕs not
a safe environment for our children," she said.
"We want a park where people can walk and feel safe,
that's not unreasonable for such a large population."
She also claimed that the contours of Stepaside were not
taken into account.
"You can't flatten everywhere and expect no
repercussions," she said.
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"Can our planners and local representatives honestly put
their hands on their hearts and tell us that we do not need
an EIA to inform us as to how this is really going to affect
our Quality of life and our environment?Ó she asked.
John Byrne of DLRCC Planning Department, told The People that
the County Manager and his planners were advised that the
plan would not need an EIA.
"Under legislation at the time an EIA wasn't needed,Ó
said Mr Byrne.
He explained that new legislation under the Planning Act 2000
would, however, require an ElA for future action plans.
He also said that DLRCC were happy with the consultation
process.
"The plan was on display for months, submissions were
accepted and the plan was changedÓ he said
He pointed out that each individual part of.the development
will be subject to planning permission.
"An action plan only draws lines on a map, builders still
have to look for permission for individual
developments,Ó he said.
However, ElAs may not be required for the individual
developments
"There is a threshold under which no EIA is
required.Ó Mr Byrne said.
"If builders apply for permission on small parcels of
land they will not need an EIA."
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