South Dublin County Councillors have voted to rezone lands beside Greenogue Industrial Estate to “Enterprise and Employment” use which makes way for the expansion of the industrial estate.
At the South Dublin County Development Plan 2022-2028 meeting last week, councillors voted to approve the rezoning of the nearly 51 hectares of land located north of the business park.
The site consists of parcels of land which have been identified as flood zones by the Strategic Flood Risk Assessment.
South Dublin County Council planners recommended in a report that the lands should not be rezoned.
The council’s report said that there was a “high probability of flooding” in some parts of the land while there was a “moderate probability of flooding” in others.
“Most types of development would be considered inappropriate in this zone,” it said.
“Development in this zone should be avoided and/or only considered in exceptional circumstances, such as in city and town centres, or in the case of essential infrastructure that cannot be located elsewhere.”
Although the report said that it recognises there may be a need for “available lands which have potential to generate jobs” in the future, it said it that at the moment it was “satisfied that there is no need for further employment lands in the county at this time.”
The council said it would be “premature” and “contrary” to guidelines to recommend the rezoning.
Despite the council’s concerns, local representatives voted to pass the motion.
The majority of Fine Gael and Fianna Fail councillors voted in favour of the rezoning as well as some Sinn Fein councillors.
Local People Before Profit councillor Madeleine Johansson said that it was “incredibly irresponsible to rezone these lands for industrial development when they have been identified as flood zones.
“We know that one of the impacts of climate change is the increased frequency and severity of flooding events,” she said.
“We have a responsibility to protect and mitigate against disastrous flooding events, and one of the ways we can do that is to limit development in areas that are at risk of flooding.”
Johansson says that in 2011 the nearby Camac River “burst its banks and many homes and businesses were destroyed by the flooding.
“These types of events are likely to increase as climate change continues and escalates,” she said.
“The promises of jobs in the short term should not be used as an excuse to cause harm to our communities and the environment in the long term.”