Galway Bay FM Newsroom - Galway County Councillors expressed concern at their meeting this week about situations where lands and property may be zoned without the knowledge of the owners.
A decision was taken to write to the Minister with responsibility for planning matters about the issue.
Councillor Jim Cuddy said land and property should not be considered for zoning for a particular purpose without the owner’s knowledge of the process. He stated that he had seen examples of this having happened.
Acknowledging that the planning legislation allowed for this practice, Councillor Cuddy said it was still unfair and he proposed that the Minister for Planning matters be asked to amend the system so that owners would be advised about any zoning of their property.
Councillor Tom Curran said he supported the motion strongly. People, he stated, are entitled to know what is happening and added that landowners and others had earned their rights to their property after being ruled by landlords for hundreds of years.
Director of Planning Services, Michael Owens, told the meeting that statutory notice in a newspaper that circulates in the area to be zoned is sufficient notification in law, as it stands.
Councillor Cuddy’s motion to write to the Planning Minister was seconded by Councillor Geraldine Donohue and unanimously adopted.
