Process to develop Westport Local Area Plan an 'absolute farce'

The lack of consultation with local councillors in preparing the Westport Local Area Plan was criticised by local representatives with one councillor describing the process of a farce.

Councillors in the Westport/Belmullet Municipal District met this morning (Friday) to discuss the Draft Westport Local Area Plan 2024-2030 which will determine what land around Westport will be zoned for residential and other uses.

Senior Planner with Mayo County Council, John McMyler explained that 22 hectares of land has been zoned for residential land and the plan has been met with approval by the Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR).

The meeting which took place in council offices in Westport heard that 58 submissions were received from members of the public when the draft plan went to public consultation late last year.

However, the process for preparing the plan was criticised by local councillors who said they were now being asked to sign off on a plan which they had not been consulted on.

Mr McMyler explained that the legislation prevents local representatives from having any input into the plan but they now have the power to accept, reject or amend the draft plan.

However, Fine Gael councillor Peter Flynn rejected that legislation prevented councillors from having an input into the preparation of the plan saying that it is not the legal advice he has received.

“I have read through the act and I have had other people read through the act and received legal advice and nobody has been able to show us the clause which specifically prevents us from the draft process. We have had these plans and documents drawn up by people who do not live in Westport who have no connection with Westport and yet members around the table and the community as a whole have been pretty much excluded from it,” he said.

Cllr Flynn said the local area plan guidelines for local authorities stated that the locally elected members are a critical element to the preparation of the plan and consultation with the community should be innovative.

“None of this has happened here. We had no hand act or part in this draft plan to date and there has been nothing in terms of innovation as far as I am concerned. I don't see one innovative thing in front of us.

“Councillors have been completely omitted even though the guidelines are very clear that we should be involved. Our young people have been excluded from the process. The engagement with the public in my view has been completely flawed. In my view this whole process has been a farce, an absolute farce,” he commented.

Independent councillor Christy Hyland who chaired the meeting said that councillors were not given the courtesy of being consulted about something which affects the future of their town. He said young people are not able to buy houses in Westport and as local representatives they should have a say on what lands should be zoned.

The councillors were shown the parcels of land which will be zoned for residential use which officials explained were chosen because they were serviced sites close to the town centre.

Councillors questioned why some land along the West Road and at Horkan's Hill had not been zoned when they felt it met all the criteria for residential use. In response, Mr McMyler explained that in order to meet planning guidelines, they could not include some land as it would result in excess land being zoned and it would not be approved by the OPR.

Catherine McConnell, Director of Services responsible for planning said that it was in the remit of councillors to include more land for zoning without omitting other parcels of land but there was no guarantee it would be approved by the OPR.

The meeting was adjourned until next Friday, January 26 to allow councillors to study the plan and decide on whether to make amendments.