Kells €125m scheme bid to be submitted to local planners

PLANS for a revised €125 million Kells Backlands scheme will be submitted next week by the Kells Development Company.

It has just withdrawn a Bord Pleanála appeal against last October's rejection by Navan planners of the original proposal for its 18-acre site between Headfort Place and Bective Street.

The new plan envisages 350 construction jobs during a two-year building phase and 400 permanent jobs in retail and office development. It proposes a new town square, 36 retail units totalling 125,000 sq ft with a 55,000 sq ft anchor tenant, as well as 200 residential units, six office units, a restaurant, a library, a crèche and about 1,000 car parking spaces.

The revised plans incorporate the wider entrance to a planned new street (parallel to Bective Street) through Hetherton's garage and two adjoining houses in Bective Square, all now acquired by the company.

The new proposals follow extensive discussions with planners and were outlined last week to town and local area councillors. Kells Development Company comprises Lagan Developments, Finbarr McLoughlin of MCL Developments and Cusack Homes and OBK Architects drew up its plans.

It proposes a major shopping and residential development "that will greatly improve the quality of life in the town through bringing the best civic and commercial facilities".

Three acres have been set aside for the new town square, including a small lake and recreational area, and footpaths will link the new district to Headfort Place, and Farrell and Bective streets.

The company hopes to begin building early in 2009 once the planning procedures are complete.

Local councillors and Chamber of Commerce warmly welcomed the proposals. The investment is similar to last year's rejected proposal but the revised plan takes into account the six objections set down by planners, in particular the size of the new street entrance to Bective Square. The recent acquisition of the garage there by Kells Development Company clinched the access issue.

Area manager, Brendan McGrath, told last Monday night's town council meeting that an operational agreement would be put in place between town and county councils, since their boundary ran through the Backlands area, the subject of the 2006 Local Area Plan. This would enable the county to oversee infrastructure such as flood relief works, internal roads and sewerage in consultation with the Town Hall. He stressed that planning matters and supplementary contributions would continue to come before town councillors.