Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate that this is complex. In order to get it right, the Minister has to take his time. There is no doubt about that. I would be concerned that we will end up with a request for de-zoning and that we zone other land. One in five or one in six land parcels that are zoned proceed to development within the lifespan of a development plan. There is no guarantee that land being zoned under one development plan will stay that way under the next. I am concerned that someone would seek to de-zone land even though every planner would say and planning principles would dictate that the parcel in question is the best place proceed with development or that it is where the population growth should be and that the landowner whose views we respect here will farm it and it will be de-zoned. The land would keep accruing potential value as well. You would end up going back and zoning it under the next development plan. Should we say we feel this is the best land to be zoned for population growth and if they want it de-zoned, it will remain that way and they will not come back in five years' time and look for it to be rezoned when its value has increased further? Consideration needs to be given to this matter in order that we do not end up with the latter being the case.

The Minister mentioned strategic land. Where local authorities have zoned far too much land over the past ten to 20 years, that is often called strategic land or phase 2 land. It is sometimes called tier 2 or tier 3 land. Different local authorities might use different names for it. It is important to have clarity for each local authority in the context of legal challenges.