Politics: 17.07.2003 Council defers Edros decision [northside people]
Fingal County Council has deferred a decision to rezone a derelict community site where U2 performed some of their first gigs.
Last month, The Northside People highlighted the concerns of some Howth residents who are opposed to the council?s plans for a development on the old Edros Community Centre site on Balscadden Road.
In May, the council had put a plan for the site on public display. It contained a proposal to rezone the site from ?open space and recreational facilities? to ?improvement of village facilities?.
However, opponents of the proposal claimed there was ?no community gain? from the plan, a view disputed by the council.
Although the proposal includes apartments and shops, the council argued that the community benefit comes in the shape of a new public library; a new pedestrian street linking Abbey Street to Balscadden Road; and new open air public spaces in the form of a civic amphitheatre linking the Martello Tower and the new pedestrian street.
Socialist Party representative for Dublin North East, Brian Greene, wholeheartedly welcomed Fingal County Council?s deferral of a decision on the plan at a meeting last week.
?This is a great victory for people power,? he declared. ?It is a testament to the local community who left Fingal councillors in no doubt that the plan proposed for Edros would not be tolerated, now or in the future.
?While acknowledging this important victory, we cannot be complacent. There is no doubt that this proposal is likely to come back again.?
Mr Greene, who was to the forefront in mobilising opposition to the plan, said the deferral should give all communities in Fingal the ?confidence to get organised?.
?I would also like to pay tribute to Bill McCormick of the Save Howth Library Committee, whose members have worked tirelessly to stop the decimation of Howth Village,? added Mr Greene.
However, Fingal County Council played down what Mr Greene perceived to be a victory.
A spokesperson said: ?They (the residents) did have one of their requests granted, which was a deferral on the decision. The manager also said that it could be dealt with as part of the County Development Plan review.?
The spokesperson explained that there were two items on the agenda at last Wednesday?s meeting which left only 40 minutes? discussion time for Edros.
?We felt that the Edros plan deserved more time and we didn?t want to just squeeze it in,? said the spokesperson. ?We felt that it was best to defer the item.?
The next council meeting isn?t until September. The spokesperson added that no date had been set for the Edros discussion.
Brian Greene Radio Show [listen]