Fresh planning row looming in west Mayo over zoning for new houses

A fresh row is set to erupt over the new Westport Local Area Plan 2024-2030.

Minister of State Alan Dillon has informed Mayo County Council of the Department of Local Government's intention to issue a directive in respect of the documentation.

That's because it has failed to implement a number of recommendations made by the department in relation to single house developments.

Elected representatives in the Westport area made a material alteration to the plan to allow such houses within serviced, non-residential lands - thus widening the qualifying criterial for such developments.

Department officials have now make it clear that such a move 'would promote haphazard residential development and urban sprawl on non-residential zoned lands and in the rural hinterland, inconsistent with cited objectives of the Mayo County Developmen Plan and the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy for northern and western regions.'

Local councillors also made changes allowing the provision of new homes in Westport 'in peripheral and non-sequential locations without clear evidence basis'.

"The department has advised that no adequate reasons have been provided to justify the decision of the elected members to allow these zoning objectives when the are inconsistent with the core strategy and county development plan," said Minister Dillon.

However, the department has accepted that altering the zoning of two areas of land located off the Lodge Road is 'reasonably in the circumstances as it would serve to consolidate the existing pattern of development in this area of Westport.'