I voted today to support a variation of the County Development Plan that sets the projected population growth in our villages and rural areas to lower, but more realistic, levels. We don’t have the infrastructure we need in our villages, yet we see more and more houses being built.
Developers are promising land for schools, community centres, child care facilities and whatever it takes, to get planning permission. They then fail to deliver these services, leaving us without the infrastructure that communities need. In some cases, walking away from estates half completed, leaving the tax payer to foot the bill.
This change was driven by the Regional & Spatial Economic Strategy which is a comprehensive document that includes some long needed policies designed to keep rural communities vibrant and alive.
One reason for the lack of affordable housing in rural areas is because entire developments are being sold directly to Kildare County Council, rather than being made available to young working families. Rural families with land suitable for one off houses should be encouraged to build, rather than advised to move into built up areas.
I look forward to the opportunity to ensure that the next County Development Plan reflects these policies, when we begin the review process early next year. My appraisal of the variation, as I assessed it before I voted in order to make an informed decision, is available to view below.
