Site identifed for M3 service station
Fine Gael’s Meath East TD, Regina Doherty, has expressed her deep disappointment upon hearing the news that Halcrow Barry and Transport Infrastructure Ireland, formally the NRA, have identified the preferred site for the M3 service station at Derrockstown/Raynestown.
Deputy Doherty said: “I am beyond disappointed that the decision has been made to locate the M3 service station at Derrockstown/Raynestown and I know that I am not alone in airing my disappointment. I am aware of at least twenty families living in the Raynestown Lane area, which will have full sight of the proposed M3 service station. I have already spoken to families and local businesses upon hearing of this decision yesterday evening, and I am certain that there will be many, many objections made to the location of the proposed site, which I am sure will not come as a surprise to Halcrow Barry and Transport Infrastructure Ireland.
“I am perplexed as to the decision to place the new M3 service station at this site despite the ongoing and evident objections before the planning application process has even begun. It is without doubt that, due to the controversial location of the proposed site, Halcrow Barry and Transport Infrastructure Ireland will now have to spend a lot of money in defending its decision to locate the service station at Raynestown, which, should planning permission be refused, may have to relocate anyway.
“Here in Meath we have been working incredibly hard to boost tourism to the area. We have made great progress to date and the decision to locate a service station and slip road from the M3, miles from an existing tourism attraction, Rathbeggan Lakes, is in utter contradiction to our continued efforts. From where I am standing, there is little to no logic in the decision to locate the service station at Raynestown.”
Concluding, Deputy Doherty said: “I have already made strong representations to the Department and to Halcrow Barry and Transport Infrastructure Ireland and I will join the many others in tabling our strong objection to this proposed site as soon as the planning process begins.”