Headford’s village classification halts expansion

A small Galway town is bursting at the seams, according to planners – and now they don’t want any more space zoned for residential development.

But Galway County Councillors are raging at the Department of the Environment’s decision to reject their plan to approve more space for housing in Headford – because officials have classified it as a village.

A discussion on the matter became hot and heavy at the recent meeting of Galway County Council where members were told that there were 1,500 residents in the ‘town’ and that it was being over-zoned for residential development.

Cllr Donagh Killilea told the Connacht Tribune that it was an insult to decision making and that it put the future of Headford in jeopardy.  He added that the original decision to rezone for residential was not a decision that was made lightly.

The Fianna Fail councillor said that he felt that the future of Headford was in jeopardy because of the lack potential of future growth, because this block stopped the town was not progressing.

“”It is obvious that local knowledge has nothing to do with what goes on in Headford because it is not taken into consideration. It is a town that is growing in terms of population,” said Cllr Killilea.

“We are talking about the future viability of the town and the fact that its potential growth has been stifled,” he added.

He said that he had serious issues over the fact that the Headford Area Plan had been rejected by the Department of the Environment because it is over-zoned for the development of housing.

Cllr Tom McHugh said that he could not accept that Headford was being deemed a village by the Department. He added that there were two primary schools and a second level school along with an award winning supermarket.

The Fine Gael councillor said that it would reach a stage that the County Council would have to canvass for planning applications given the housing need in the county.

Councillor Des Joyce remarked that all of their hard work for the good of the people of Headford was being over-ridden by someone behind a desk in Dublin who has never been to the town.

He suggested that Minister Paudie Coffey should visit the area and speak with locals if he had questions over the plan Councillors had put forward.

County Cathaoirleach Peter Roche said he simply couldn’t accept the Ministerial direction after all the hard work they had carried out in the community.

Councillor Karey McHugh warned that if they didn’t put up a fight now, they would face the same situation in every district going forward.

Chief Executive Kevin Kelly said the Council would prepare a report for the Minister which would include the concerns raised at this week’s meeting.