Ashbourne Park would be almost the same size as Vatican City

A public park long sought after by the people of Ashbourne and now incorporated into the new Meath County Development Plan 2021 to 2027 would be almost the same size as Vatican City, it emerged after the development plan was formally adopted by councillors.

The overwhelming majority of the 40 county councillors supported a move to zone 80 acres on the southern approaches to the town for a possible future public park (just 20 acres short of the size of the Vatican state). Such was the interest in the project that 2,401 people made submissions to the Council in support – 2,399 for the project and just two against. Council chief executive Jackie Maguire introduced a material amendment to reduce the size to 20 acres but 23 councillors voted to reject her recommendation, seven accepted it, and one abstained.

In her remarks in the lead-up to the councillors’ vote, the chief executive said it was her considered view that the quantum of lands that went on public display as part of the material amendments to the plan (80 acres) was considered “excessive” and the funding for the delivery and operation of a park of this scale and magnitude “is not to be available”. However, it was considered that a smaller park, typically c20 acres, would be suitable for the delivery of a public park of a scale appropriate for Ashbourne.

In strong submissions made by the public to the county council, passions were high on both sides of the argument – for an 80-acre park, and against on the grounds of cost and other issues. One submission argued that Ashbourne – now with a population of 15,000 – had taken on more than its share of house building but with little return in the way of amenities. Another said that 80 acres minimum was the outcome of the democratic process in the town and yet another quoted the World Health Organisation as recommending a 160-acre public park foe a town of its size.

An individual/group said that the proposed zoning of 80 acres was “fatally flawed” because the zoning was premature and the County Council needed to carry out an assessment of the town’s open space needs; because the proposed zoning contradicted the Council’s own development plan which identifies that any such demarcation of land for larger open space should be done through a local area plan; and because the proposed zoning process failed to consider any alternative options or robust analysis of the locational characteristics of the land.

Another submission said that the park, as envisioned, would cost €20 million to construct (excluding land acquisition costs and other costs such as Vat and legal costs).

Making an impassioned plea to other councillors to support his idea, Fine Gael Cllr Alan Tobin said that this was a “community-led and councillor-led” project.

The community of Ashbourne wanted 80 acres of a park “and we will do our best to make it a reality”.

He asked people to close their eyes and imagine what Ashbourne would look in 100 years time, with beautiful trees and walks and public parks to help people get away from the traffic. He praised Sinn Fein TD Darren O’Rourke for approaching Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien for funding for the project.

Support was expressed by Cllrs Aisling O’Neill, Conor Tormey, Suzanne Jamal, Nick Killian, Gerry O’Connor. Independent Cllr Brian Fitzgerald said that over many years he had seen councillors “putting coloured spaces on map”. The owner of the land had no intention of giving that amount of land (80) acres to the Council and the council did not have the powers to compulsorily acquire it. It was foolish to mislead people into believing they could get 80 acres by colouring it in on a county development plan, he said.