Minister orders Meath councillors to reverse rezoning of flood plains

Plans to authorise development in flood risk areas, including for housing elderly people, are to be shelved

Flooding in Athlone: the Minister of State for Local Government has ordered Co Meath councillors to reverse the rezoning of land for development in flood-risk areas such as Summerhill, Slane, Athboy and Dunshaughlin Picture: Rollingnews

Councillors in Meath have been ordered to reverse a decision to rezone sites for development in flood-risk zones by Peter Burke, the Minister of State for Local Government.

Meath County Council is preparing its new development plan which will determine the location of new housing in the county for the next seven years.

Councillors voted for a series of land rezonings last year against the advice of council planners. This included the rezoning of land ...