The draft development plan for Westport which has been circulated to elected members and is now awaiting a proposal to go on public display, has been described by town councillors as “surprising” and “dramatic”, with all of them urging the public to examine and furnish submissions on the plan.
Town manager Peter Hynes explained that members have been presented with a copy of the plan and that once the plan is proposed to go on public display it will remain in the public domain for ten weeks, to ensure that there is adequate time for the public to make submissions. Not alone will the plan be available in hard copy, but it can also be accessible on the town and county council’s websites and will be on display in the towns council offices.
Councillor Margaret Adams said that people will be “surprised” by the new plan and asked that they “look at it in detail”. Her Fianna Fáil colleague Cllr Declan Dever also said that “everyone should read it as there would be controversy” in relation to the dezoning of land.
Fine Gael Cllr Peter Flynn called the plan “dramatic”, while Cllr Myles Staunton said that it was a “difficult yet responsible job” in preparing the plan, and he hoped that a balance would be achieved.
