Officials clash over Wicklow residential zoning plans at key meeting
The Wicklow PeopleA heated exchange over zoning amendments marked this month’s Wicklow County Council meeting, as chief executive Emer O’Gorman and Cllr Joe Behan clashed over proposals for Greystones-Delgany.
The row came after rumours that the council was planning to ‘dezone land for around 3,000 houses, claims which Ms O’Gorman dismissed as “blatantly not true”.
Speaking during the council meeting, Ms O’Gorman emphasised that the county currently has enough land zoned to meet population growth targets.
“The plan allows for 56 hectares of greenfield land zoned for new residential development with a capacity of circa 3,000 units,” she said.
“In addition, there are amendments which will consider the rezoning of an additional 13.25 hectares which will deliver another approximately 650 units… By and large in the county we have enough land zoned to accommodate the new population targets.”
Cllr Behan criticised the council for rejecting proposed amendments by local councillors.
“Practically every proposal that the local councillors agreed on to provide additional residential zoning was opposed by the chief executive. I think it’s an indication that we need to watch what happens next… It is very disappointing that the officials were not more positive with the suggestions that were made by councillors,” he said.
The discussion took place as Wicklow County Council voted to amend parts of the County Development Plan to allow changes to the planning framework for Greystones-Delgany. The new framework will replace the current Greystones-Delgany and Kilcoole Local Area Plan 2013 and is being adopted as a variation to the existing Wicklow County Development Plan, which remains valid until 2028.
The draft plan follows several months of work by district councillors, who reviewed submissions from the public and assessed national, regional, and local planning policies.
Housing delivery targets set out in the updated guidelines are higher than before, but Wicklow County Council says there is currently no shortage of zoned land in the county to meet them. In Greystones-Delgany, the draft plan proposes zoning 38 hectares of land for new residential development in two phases.
The housing target for the area under the current County Development Plan is 1,953 units from 2016 to 2031. However, according to CSO figures, 2,143 new dwellings had been completed by the end of 2024, meaning the target has already been exceeded by around 10%. Several additional developments under construction will deliver roughly 250 more units in the short term.
Other proposed zoning changes in the draft plan include amendments to the Lowick lands (the former ‘Convent lands’ in Delgany) to reflect permitted development.
These lands were previously zoned for residential use, but planning permission allowed parts to be used for community or public open space. The adjustments amounted to roughly 1.1 hectares, and further changes were proposed to ensure zoning better matches permitted development.
A submission was also received from Beakonshaw requesting the zoning of currently unzoned greenfield agricultural land east of Kilcoole.
During the meeting, Ms O’Gorman emphasised that the county has been proactive in ensuring sufficient land is available.
“All the soundings we are getting from Government is that every county is not doing enough to zone lands, and I would refute that. I don’t think we are in that position. I think Wicklow has been very progressive, we have been very amenable and open to conversations,” she said.
Meanwhile, Cathaoirleach of the Greystones Municipal District, Lourda Scott, praised the collaborative efforts of her district colleagues and the council staff.
“We went through every submission carefully, often several times, discussing and refining our ideas. While we did not always agree on every point, we maintained a respectful and constructive dialogue throughout. What united us was a shared commitment to do what is right for the people we represent and to ensure that this plan delivers real benefits for our community,” she said.
There are still several steps to complete before the Local Area Plan is formally adopted, but council officials say the process will ensure that the planning framework for Greystones-Delgany is robust, meets population growth targets, and balances housing needs with community and open space uses.