Galway Bay FM Newsroom - Differences about planning policies for housing surfaced at yesterday’s meeting of the Connemara County Councillors with Alastar McKinstry from the Green Party and chairman, Séamus Walsh taking differing stances on the matter.
The broader issue of where people would be housed came up in the context of a plan for 31 Council houses in Moycullen.
Councillor Alistar McKinistry was speaking in relation to a plan to construct 31 Council houses on a site to the south of Moycullen which he said was an ideal site in view of its closeness to the village
He said that such locations were the best place to build as there was a need to reduce the number of vehicles on the roads.
There had to be an emphasis on having people living within walking distance of services, Councillor McKinistry state.
Responding, Connemara Councillor cathaoirleach, Séamus Walsh said that he and many others were strongly in favour of maintaining the strength of rural communities and giving local people the right to live in the countryside rather than moving them into towns and villages.
Councillor Walsh also said the Covid crisis had shown that crowded and densely populated locations had drawbacks.
On a vote of 5 against 4, the Connemara Councillors rejected the 31 house plan and that now puts a full stop to this project.
