Mullingar Local Area Plan draft ‘ready by end of April’

A draft version of the new Mullingar Local Area Plan is to be delivered to members of the Mullingar Kinnegad Municipal District “by the end of April”, officials told Cllr Andrew Duncan at the April meeting.

It will then go out for public consultation for six weeks.

Cllr Duncan, who had asked for the timeline for the new Local Area Plan, was told, in the official written response to his request, that the draft policy was currently being assessed from an Appropriate Assessment and Strategic Environmental Assessment perspective.

It will be following incorporation of the findings of these assessments, that the draft will be made available.

The official response stated that following a review of submissions received as part of the consultation, a report from the chief executive on the issues raised would be circulated to members for their consideration, in their making or amending of the plan.

“This process must be completed no later than 22 weeks following the initial notice of public consultation.”

The reply went on to state that in the event the members propose material alterations to the Draft Plan then a further stage of public consultation and environmental assessment will be necessary. If that is the scenario that plays out, the plan has to be adopted within 35 weeks from the initial notice of public consultation.