Posted online: Nov 20th, 2008

By Claire Duignan

claire.duignan@kildarepost.com

A local TD has put in a submission to stop further housing development taking place in Straffan. The submission has been lodged in relation to the proposed local area plan for the village.

Deputy Emmet Stagg remarked: “There was no need to zone additional lands for housing in Straffan given the fact that land zoned in 2002 remains undeveloped and can easily cater for future local need and growth. As well as that the existing capacity of the sewerage treatment plant and the capacity of the pumping station to Celbridge does not provide for further development other than that envisaged in the 2002 Straffan Plan.”

He added: “Concerning social and affordable housing in the Straffan area, the restrictive densities assigned to sites under the 2002 plan made it difficult to provide these units and the densities permitted should be reviewed.”

Other points made by Deputy Stagg included the retention of the ‘Special Village Status’ for Straffan in the plan, the inclusion of an objective in the plan that lands adjoining the national school be transferred to the educational authorities as a community gain and that an objective of the plan should be the exclusion of HGVs from the village other than for access.”

Deputy Stagg also sought the zoning of 12 acres to the South East of the existing GAA grounds as amenity land to cater for the expansion of the GAA club and to provide playing fields for Straffan Soccer Club.