The new Fingal Development Plan has moved into its next phase of Councillors Motions seeking to alter the development of Lusk between 2023 – 2029. Once again Councillors from outside of the Rush and Lusk area are bringing forward motions that seek to alter the development of the area. Speaking at a community meeting Cllr O’Donoghue outlined the potential changes brought forward on the agenda for Development Plan. He stated, ‘I find our current planning system absurd. Councillors from outside of our area, with no planning expertise, can bring forward motions to change the face of our area, permanently, without reference to the community and in contradiction of the professional FCC planner’s advice, planners who have at previous rounds of the development plan have recommended the rejected such proposals.’He explained, ‘the red areas on the map, seek to change rural land (RU) for residential development (RA). These would add potentially 1,300 – 1,800 units to an area that already has ample land zoned for residential requirements. The blue area, which is 2.5 times the current size of Lusk, seeks to have the area scoped for future usage in contradiction to the Fingal Policy of not allowing the self-sustaining towns of Rush and Lusk coalesce together. The sustainable development of the area should be done through the forthcoming Local Area Plans which allows the community, Councillors and professional planners to craft a planner-led development of the area. This potential diktat by motion, without community input is unfair and unsustainable.’ O’Donoghue continued, ‘in the coming weeks (Sept 20th – Oct 14th) these motions will be debated by the Councillors in FCC, I would encourage members of the community to write to their 40 Councillors opposing these motions, whose numbers are referenced in the map. Contact details are publicly available at : https://www.fingal.ie/council/councillors’