The last remaining tract of agricultural land in Dublin city, wedged between the River Tolka and the Royal Canal at Pelletstown - between Finglas and Ashtown - has been rezoned for residential development on the casting vote of the Lord Mayor, Senator Joe Doyle (FG).
Fianna Fail, PD and Fine Gael members combined to support the rezoning after the City Council received a firm assurance that Dublin Corporation would acquire a further 19 acres of land to develop an "ecologically sensitive" linear park in the Tolka valley.
Their 23 votes were matched by Labour, Green Party, Democratic Left, Workers' Party and independent councillors, all of whom voted against the proposal with the exception of Cllr Brendan Lynch (Ind), who abstained. At least one Labour councillor was absent.
Mr Tony Gregory TD (Ind) berated the Labour group's leader, Cllr Paddy Burke, for not ensuring a full turnout by his party members.
Two Labour councillors, Ms Roisin Shortall TD and Senator Joe Costello, complained that the latest plan had been "plucked out of the air."
The vote to rezone Pelletstown came after a week of intensive negotiations between senior corporation officials and two developers, Ballymore Homes and Castle thorn Construction, with an interest in the 105-acre parcel of land.
Mr Sean Carey, assistant city manager in charge of the planning and development departments, said the corporation already owned 45 acres of land just east of Pelletstown and it was now proposing to acquire a further 19 acres to develop the Tolka Valley linear park.
He said this park - incorporating wildflower meadows, footbridges and water features - would give people access to the river valley for passive recreation. The developers would also have to set aside a large portion of the Pelletstown land to be integrated with this park.
Mr Carey said detailed action plans would be drawn up for both areas simultaneously and their development would proceed in parallel.
He anticipated that the proposed park would cost £400,000, exclusive of land acquisition, and it could be funded by levies on the housing.
Mr Pat Carey TD (FF), who had strongly opposed the rezoning, said he was now prepared to go along with it on the basis of the assurances given that the amenities of the area would be protected.
He estimated that the public would have access to 45 per cent of the land.
When Cllr Ciaran Cuffe (Greens) asked if the corporation's chief planning officer, Mr Pat McDonnell, supported the plan, Mr McDonnell said this put him in an "awkward position" as he had not been "a party to what's been going on" and he preferred not to comment.
