Plan for 320-home development on former Trim cattle mart site

Where once were the sounds of bawling cattle and the bleating of sheep as they were brought for sale, there may soon be the noise of children playing and family activities as a major planning application has been made on a significant development site in Trim.

In a Strategic Housing Development application to An Bord Pleanála, Keegan Land Holdings is looking to build a 320-unit residential complex on the site of the former Potterton salesyard on the Summerhill road.

On the site of just over nine hectares, plans have been drawn up for 320 dwellings comprising 136 two, three and four-bed houses; 120 apartments within four three to five -storey buildings; 64 duplex apartments within eight three-storey blocks; a creche and community centre.

There are 563 car parking spaces provided for, and 188 secure/covered bicycle parking areas including new cycleways and footpaths to the site at Charterschool Land, Manorlands and Commons townlands.

Plans have been drawn up by Luis Reis of BBA Architecture for agent Nicky Casey, McGill Planning Limited, 45 Herbert Lane, Dublin 2, who is making the application for Keegan Land Holdings Ltd, Trammon, Rathmolyon.

The land is currently zoned: "A2 New Residential ‘To provide for new residential communities with ancillary community facilities, neighbourhood facilities and employment uses as considered appropriate for the status of the centre in the Settlement Hierarchy’ and G1 Community Infrastructure: ‘to provide for necessary community, social and educational facilities.’

Existing uses of the site, which is wasteland containing rubble and concrete stands from the former salesyard complex, is greenfield/ agricultural. The lands stretch from the county council's municipal area offices at Mornington House to the Applegreen station on the Longwood Road roundabout, opposite the Mornington Heights estate.

Four previous planning applications for the development of up to 169 units by the previous owners, Potterton Marts, were refused permission over 10 years ago, and the site has lain derelict since. Pottertons moved their business to their Delvin salesyard in the early 2000s.

The planning application, which bypasses Meath County Council's planning office due to its size, can be seen on www.manorlandstrimshd.ie.

Local residents are organising a meeting to raise concerns about the proposal, in the carpark opposite the Castle Arch Hotel on Friday 24th July at 7pm.