Vol. 550 No. 1
25 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government his plans to provide guidelines to local authorities on the need for land reservations, free from development where possible, adjacent to rail tracks, such as the northern suburban line. [4478/02]
I have no proposals to issue specific guidelines to local authorities in relation to the need for land reservation adjacent to rail tracks. Land is reserved for infrastructure through the relevant planning authority development plan. Under section 10 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000, each planning authority is required to include objectives in its development plan to secure the provision or the facilitation of the provision of infrastructure, including transport.
In addition, the strategic planning guidelines for the greater Dublin area, published on 25 March 1999, set out an integrated land use framework for the sustainable development of the greater Dublin area, comprising the Dublin and mid-east regions. This is designed inter alia to improve the balance between public and private transport. Statutory recognition for the strategic planning guidelines is provided in the Planning and Development Act, 2000. The relevant provisions came into force on 1 January 2001 and require planning authorities in the greater Dublin area to have regard to the guidelines when making and adopting a development plan.
The DTO strategy, A Platform for Change, which updates the original DTI strategy and has a horizon to 2016 has been prepared to support and complement the framework set out in the strategic planning guidelines for the greater Dublin area.
