Fine Gael candidate secured rezoning after developer paid residents' association
Justice minister Helen McEntee’s Fine Gael running mate Sharon Tolan won’t comment on disputed claims she made to rezone land – after she negotiated a payment from the developer to her own housing estate’s residents’ association.
Meath County Council’s chief executive initially rejected moves to rezone the site because there was enough residential land in the area.
However – months after securing a €2,000 “donation” from the developer to her residents’ association – councillor Tolan told a council meeting the site should be rezoned because “it’s an absolute scourge on the local community for anti-social behaviour”.
An observation to An Bord Pleanála however, which gave evidence from the developer of her payment request, said the council didn't provide evidence of anti-social behaviour at the site – nor had the observer seen any in their 25 years living next to the site.
Cash instead of new trees
Curo Developments Ltd received permission in January 2020 to build 18 new homes on a site beside the Betaghstown Wood housing estate in Bettystown, county Meath.
The developer met with Betaghstown Wood resident councillor Sharon Tolan because a tree bordering the site prevented it from securing a connection to Irish Water.
After this meeting Tolan asked the developer for a €2,000 “donation” to the estate’s residents’ association bank account after the association, she said, gave “permission” to cut down the tree.
“Thanks for meeting and the subsequent follow up calls. I have spoken with the Betaghstown Wood Narroways Residents Association, and they are happy to give you permission to remove the tree identified,” wrote Tolan in an email to Curo Developments director Andrew Fahy dated 23 September, 2020.
“As with most residents associations, the cost of maintaining large mature trees can be prohibitive, and as discussed they would appreciate your donation of €2,000 to their residents association instead of another two trees,” she said.
Months later, in January 2021, Tolan brought a motion to Meath County Council on behalf of Curo Developments.
Tolan’s motion called for another smaller parcel of land, which Curo Developments was buying, to be rezoned. This 0.7-acre site, a former diving centre, bordered the Betaghstown Wood estate and Curo Developments’ 18-home development site.
Meath Council’s chief executive had previously recommended, in 2020, that the site shouldn’t be rezoned from tourism to residential use because there was enough residential land to meet demand in the area. This decision came after public consultations on the county development plan.
However Tolan now claimed the site should be rezoned because of anti-social behaviour – and on that basis the chief executive backed her motion.
“This small piece of land is adjacent to the site previously granted permission for 18 homes,” said Tolan at the special council meeting on 29 January 2021, adding, “It is currently a scourge on the local residents with youths using the site for anti-social behaviour and gardaí unable to police the area as it is landlocked.”
‘I have never witnessed any anti-social behaviour’: resident
The council members later voted to amend the county development plan and zone the site for residential use after hearing Tolan’s claims.
In October 2022, with the land now rezoned, Curo Developments successfully applied to Meath County Council for permission to build seven houses on the site.
The council’s decision to approve the development was appealed to An Bord Pleánala (ABP) by a Betaghstown Wood resident – living immediately adjacent to the site – who raised concerns about the site’s rezoning.
“I have never witnessed any anti-social behaviour (at the site) since purchasing my home in 1999,” he wrote in his January 2023 submission to ABP, which included details of Tolan’s motion to rezone the site.
The resident outlined his attempts to get evidence from the council of anti-social behaviour at the site through a freedom of information request.
“No anti-social behaviour and no evidence provided on dumping on the site can be noted either by myself, living directly adjacent to the site, or Meath County Council themselves in their response to the FOI/AIE request,” he said.
The man also raised the €2,000 donation negotiated by Tolan.
“I met with… MD of Curo Developments at my home in January 2021… as I had concern about the tree felling. He informed me he made a donation to the Betaghstown Wood Narroways Residents Association.
“I questioned him in relation to this as there is no residents association and there never has been. Two residents look after the maintenance of the estate. I attach a copy of the email he provided in this regard outlining the conversation with councillor Sharon Tolan, and bank account details she provided,” reads the resident.
A month later, in February 2023, ABP notified the resident that Curo Developments had withdrawn its planning application, effectively ending the appeal process.
Sharon Tolan was first elected a Fine Gael councillor in 2014 and is the current cathaoirleach of Meath County Council. She is seeking election to the Dáil in Meath East with her running mate, justice minister Helen McEntee.
Tolan declined to respond to any of the questions sent to her yesterday afternoon by The Ditch.