DATA CENTRES, HOUSING, ROAD SAFETY, FOR SEPTEMBER COUNCIL MEETING

Changes to data centre planning provisions across the county will be a hot subject for Kildare County Council at its upcoming full council meeting, writes Brian Byrne. The meeting is scheduled for 3pm on Monday, 28 September, at the Council HQ in Naas.

Elected members are seeking a variation of the Naas Local Area Plan, specifically reviewing the "P Data Centre" zoning designation at Jigginstown-Maudlins. Additionally, a motion seeks to initiate a variation of the wider Kildare County Development Plan to remove zoning provisions that specifically facilitate data centre developments.

Another motion calls for the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to urgently publish clear national planning guidelines for large-scale solar farm developments, addressing issues including cumulative impact, landscape, biodiversity, agricultural land, water quality, residential amenity and decommissioning. There's also a request for an extension of the statutory planning enforcement period from seven to ten years and to provide staffing and court resources to address delays in investigating unauthorised development. 

On housing accessibility, a motion calls for a complete overhaul of the Council website's housing section to create a dedicated Housing and Disability Information Hub for vulnerable users. Another agenda item seeks national funding supports for Irish citizens abroad wishing to return and secure a home in Kildare.

Climate issue motions include seeking an update from the Climate Action Strategic Policy Committee, and reviewing a feasibility study to establish a Centre of Excellence for Climate Change in Newbridge.

The provision of compensatory payments and billing reliefs by Uisce Éireann for households and businesses severely impacted by recurring water outages is the subject of another motion.

One on road safety seeks the promotion of primary school participation in the Junior School Warden Scheme, in partnership with An Garda Síochána and the wider school community. There's also a request that the Council writes to Google requesting them to review the stated speed limits on their navigation services 'as they are currently misleading and inaccurate'.

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