Adare rezoning: Councillors and planners eye battle

BATTLE lines are being drawn by planners and councillors over the controversial rezoning of sites for new housing in Adare.

Despite the property crash, developers are queuing up to engage in a multi-million-euro land rush in the Co Limerick heritage town.

County council plans are resisting moves by local politicians to rezone about 50 acres on the outskirts of the village.

Prime sites in Adare fetched up to €1.3 million at the height of the building boom.

The rezoning issue is on the agenda for a special meeting of the council next Monday, when the draft local area plan for Adare will be decided.

Councillors have been warned if they go against the views of council planners they could put themselves and the council at a future risk of major compensation claims.

But it is believed some local politicians have been told that some unnamed developers will handle any legal costs.

The planners insist 120 acres, already zoned for housing, is more than sufficient to meet the needs of Adare for the next 20 years.

But politicians say a further 50 acres are required on the Patrickswell side of the village for housing which land owners are seeking to have rezoned.

Director of planning Tom Enright said: “Adare is one of the most attractive villages in the country and further re-zoning would impact negatively on the character of the village.”

He said the land already zoned for housing in the village will allow the population to rise from 1,000 to 2,000 between now and 2014, the life span of the Adare local area plan.

Mr Enright said: “What we propose would achieve the balance needed in Adare and going beyond that would impact negatively on the village.”

He said the current 120 acres of zoned land would allow for the village population to rise to 3,000 over the next 20 years.

A legal source said if councillors go against the professional advice of planners and rezone the 50 acres, they could put themselves and the council at risk of legal action.

The source said: “If a developer bought land zoned for housing in these circumstances, and was then refused planning by the council or Bord Pleanála in time to come, the developer could sue the council and the elected representatives given that the land was zoned for housing.”

Councillors said yesterday they are now seeking independent advice before next Monday’s vote and it believed some developers have told some of the elected representative they will pay any legal bills.