Way clear for Edenderry retirement village plans

Offaly County Councillors have defied council executives and higher government advice, and have rezoned land at Clonmullen, Edenderry to facilitate a retirement village development of up to 270 residential units planned by DKT Partnership that could bring up to 150 jobs to the town. All but six of Offaly's 21 councillors present gave the rezoning decision the nod at last Monday's meeting. The zoning change was warned against by the planning section of the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government. It warned the land in question was not suitable for the development and would not represent proper planning for Edenderry. Offaly County Manager Pat Gallagher at the meeting reminded councillors what was before them was a zoning proposal and not a planning application, and urged councillors to keep advice from the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government in mind when voting on the issue. The distance of the site from the town centre along with flooding issues were raised as reasons not to rezone the land. Supporting the move to rezone, Cllr John Foley said it was "vital" for the community and for the area. Fellow councillor Ger Plunkett, referring to the distance of the site from the town, said it was in fact connected to Edenderry. He also said he had walked the area to investigate the flooding issue further. He referred to the Boyne River at the site as no more than "a glorified drain", and said there's no local memory of flooding on the site. "The opportunity is too good to miss," he said. Councillor Molly Buckley supported the rezoning as an opportunity to look after older people who want to live independently. However the issue was also vehemently opposed at the meeting. Councillor Tommy McKeigue said he was sticking with the manager's recommendation not to rezone the land, so as not to fragment development in Edenderry town. "I'm getting it here every day," he said, referring to Tullamore. "Are we making a plan for good planning or for the developers?" Councillor Dervill Dolan also opposed the zoning change, saying the site was a "substantial" way from the town centre, while Councillor John Carroll said when it was down to it "it's cash they're (developers) after not care for the elderly". However a public vote at the meeting showed far more councillors were in favour of the zoning change and after a vote of 15 for and six against the land is to be rezoned.