‘Plenty of houses in east Meath but too few jobs’

Meade says people should be able to work locally and calls for increased zoning for enterprise in the coastal area

The Laytown Bettystown area should not be considered as simply a pool of employment for Drogheda and Dublin but should have the opportunity of having its own industries, Fine Gael Cllr Paddy Meade has said.

He called for increased zoning for enterprise and employment.

He said that there were a lot of houses in East Meath but very few jobs. People should not be led to believe that they would be expected to try to get jobs in Drogheda or Dublin with all the commuting that that involved. He did not believe that there was enough land zoned for the creation of employment in the coastal area, he told a council meeting by Zoom called to consider a new county development plan for 2021-27.

Chief Executive Jackie Maguire said that because of the area’s proximity to Drogheda and Dublin it might be challenging to attract a major employer, however there were opportunities to attract small and medium-sized enterprises. There were also opportunities to create co-working facilities in the area that would function as an outreach for city-based employers.

She said it was recognised that such employment would be vital in improving the jobs ratio and creating a more sustainable settlement and reverse the large scale commuting from the area.

A strategic employment site had been identified on the land near the rail station in Laytown.

Owing to the designation of the area as “a self-sustaining town” it was considered that a sufficient quantum of land had been zoned for enterprise and employment use. Cllr Meade later withdrew his notice of motion but said he still believed in the sentiments expressed in it.

Separately, FG Cllr Sharon Tolan succeeded in having a small piece of land adjacent to Betaghstown Woods estate which she said was being used for antisocial activities and dumping to be rezoned to “new residential” in the development plan. She said that the piece of land was adjacent to a site previously given planning permission for 18 homes. Gardai were unable to police the piece of land Because it was landlocked with youths accessing the site over the wall of Betaghstown Woods.

The council chief executive agreed with her and the rezoning to “new residential” was recommended