Spiddal residents hit out at residential zoning of local woodland

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Written by Marie Madden

Wednesday, 20 February 2008

Spiddal residents have hit out at a proposed rezoning of a woodland area near the Boluisce River.

Locals recently expressed their delight at the construction of a footbridge at the river, but they have since been disappointed by the rezoning of woodland at one side of the river for residential use. Indreabhán resident Donncha O hEallaithe told the Galway Independent that the small area of land could become a “wonderful public amenity” if opened to the public and opposed the decision by local councillors to rezone the land.

The original proposed zoning for the woodland on the Kilannin site was recreational/amenity but a request was put to the county council in November from the landowner and his daughter to change the zoning to residential. The County Manager recommended that the woodland keep its recreational/amenity zoning and that a study be undertaken by the County Council, in consultation with the local community and the landowner, into possible uses of the land for these purposes.

However, local councillors voted to approve the request to change the zoning to residential and will meet next Monday to discuss submissions on the subject.

“This small area of land is an important ecosystem in its own right and would make a wonderful public amenity, if it was opened up to the public, just like Barna Wood on the outskirts of Galway. As often happens in these kind of cases, the councillors ignored the official advice and went ahead with the zoning as residential, the wedge of land on the estate between the main road and the sea, thus increasing the value of this piece of land by at least 10 fold and putting it out of the future reach of Galway County Council, if ever they hoped to open up this lovely woodland to the public,” said Mr O hEallaithe.

“Next Monday the councillors will meet again to consider submissions with regard to this matter and other amendments to the Draft Gaeltacht Plan. I would urge them to reconsider the matter and to put the public interest before the private interest of the landowner. Councillors were not elected by the public for the purposes of increasing the value of land for the enrichment of a few landowners but were elected to pursue the public good. The public good was not served by this particular zoning decision and I urge Galway County Councillors to avail of the chance next Monday to rectify the matter.”

One local councillor, who did not wish to be named, said the matter was very contentious, with the local community divided.

The landowner was unavailable for comment when contacted.

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