Howth in Co Dublin and Bray Head in Co Wicklow are two of Dublin's green lungs and should be entitled to equal preservation, a public meeting in Bray was told last night.
Outlining the experience of Howth residents in their campaign for a Special Amenity Area Order (SAAO) for Howth Head, Ms Jean Finn of the Howth/ Sutton 2000 group said an SAAO for Bray Head was possible but would be difficult to achieve.
Ms Finn told the meeting, which was organised by the Braybased Save Our Head Organisation (SOHO), it would have to campaign for the preservation order in a broader context than just that of a local amenity for Bray or Wicklow. Bray Head should be seen in the context of its tradition as a tourist and day tripper destination, as well as for its educational value, its flora and fauna, its maritime associations and even its built environment, she said.
On the question of planning permission for housing development on the lower slopes of Bray Head, at the Greystones Road, Ms Finn said that this application as well as others which would almost certainly arise would have to be opposed with all its resources. Every aspect of every plan would have to be carefully monitored and, as was the experience of Howth residents, campaigners would have to be prepared to march, to lobby the local authority and to raise funds to hire their own consultants.
The purpose of hiring consultants was that a viable alternative plan would have to be drawn up. In addition the group should be prepared to hold workshops, put its plans on public display and make submissions to the drafting of the local development plan.
Thanking Ms Finn for her contribution, the Democratic Left TD for Wicklow, Ms Liz McManus, said the experience of the people of Howth would prove invaluable to the people of Bray. It was important that people realised that the protection sought for Bray Head was similar to that about to be granted to Howth. "I would suggest the slogan `putting our heads together' to get the message across", she commented.
Mr Ciaran O'Brien of the Wicklow Planning Alliance said the alliance was aware of the potential development of Bray Head, as well as development on the Presentation College land and at Emmet Park in Bray. He suggested that a joint submission from SOHO and "the many other groups between here and Arklow" be made to the local authority.
