Residents’ concern over new housing development plan
Residents of Ashbourne have expressed concern at proposals for a new housing development adjacent to the Garden City, Churchfields and Crestwood housing estates in the town.
Killegland Estates Ltd has applied for planning permission for 31 housing units together with a new access road from the existing Churchfields estate.
Residents say the proposed development will impact plans for a large parkland area on the site itself and adjoining lands and will increase pressure on already stretched schools creches and GP services.
They warn that it will impact on recreational space used by the children of Churchfields and increase traffic at the three estates.
Residents are also warning it will particularly impact Crestwood residents who will suffer noise pollution, a loss of natural light and more flooding.
“The three acre site was actually willed to the parish community by local farmer Ned Nulty, for the benefit of the community by extending the graveyard and building a parochial house,” says residents’ spokesperson, Grainne Bray.
The land was recently sold to the developer.
A spokesperson for the Diocese of Meath said the moey for the sale would be used for the parish and that the situation had been quite difficult as Ashbourne Parish had been hit with vacant site levies
Ms Bray warned continued development in thwe area would cause further pressure on public and private services.
“There is already a dearth of GP, school and creche places for the existing residents of Ashbourne.
“The space of the three acres, directly sandwiched between Garden City and Churchfields will have an irrevocable impact on the lives of everyone who live and access schools in the immediate area.”
She says the development exposes the three existing estates to increased traffic in an already very congested area, serving the GAA centre and schools.
“The impact on the Broadmeadow river will be wide-ranging as it will be required to absorb more drainage. Garden City residents will be exposed to more flooding, noise pollution and traffic,” said Ms Bray.
Residents claim the planning application was made just before the draft Meath County Development Plan 2021 was due to go out to consultation. It contains an advanced plan to develop this space and adjacent land for badly needed green space for the town,
“Due to the growing population and absence of green spaces, playing areas and an educational centre in Ashbourne a large number of Ashbourne residents had contributed to and supported the proposal to rezone this particular piece of land from residential to open space.
“Under the new Development Plan this space would provide a natural entrance to the park allowing space for parking and an education centre. Local schools would all be able to access the park and its amenities quite easily through this natural entrance.”
The land in question is currently zoned for residential housing and until the new County Development Plan is formally adopted, the current zoning still stands.
In its application the company points out the site has been prioritised for housing under the existing plan and had been on the vacant site register.
Fr Paul Connell, Chancellor Meath Diocesan Office said the situation in Ashbourne with the land that was given to the parish many years ago had been quite difficult.
"The land was zoned for residential development. Meath County Council then added the site to the vacant sites register which meant that if the land was not used for the purpose that it was zoned for, residential development, there would be an annual levy. The parish has been levied for over €100,000 in respect of 2019 and if the sale had not gone through when it did, a further levy of over €100,000 would have been imposed. Clearly, no parish can afford an annual levy of over €100,000.
"As a registered charity, the parish must use the land for the purposes for which the charity was established. It was for this reason that the land was sold and the proceeds are, of course, for the parish and will be invested for parish use," he said.