Housing units and civic space plan to revitalise Old Johnstown village

The centre of old Johnstown Village will be revitalised in the coming years as Meath County Council proposes to provide a 'village centre' with housing units and a civic space. The development will take place at the centre of the village, where they have acquired four vacant properties. A conceptual plan for the area, which is expected to create a village atmosphere will be brought before a meeting of Navan Municipal Council next month.

At last week's meeting of the council, Cllr Tommy Reilly called on the council to acquire four vacant properties in Johnstown Village "to restore them to habitable properties following the announcement of €150 million for these projects.”

Director of Services, Martin Murray said that funding has been made available for council's to purchase vacant properties.

"We have acquired the properties in question and have tentative plans to acquire others around the county," he said.

"We will have outline proposals of what we hope to achieve at the site, at the next meeting.

"We previously appointed a landscape architect to produce a conceptual design of what Johnstown village needs, looking the links to Casey's Cross, the L550, permeability and how we intend to integrate Old Johnstown village into the new Johnstown. We have developed plans for active travel and urban development and now we have funding for vacant properties in towns and villages to bring them back to life.

"We hope to deliver housing units and we hope to deliver a civic space with a central feeling - this is a village and this is where the centre is.

Cllr Reilly had also called for an update on the taking in charge of The Priory View estate in Johnstown and was told the council was working to bring the estate up to taking-in-charge standard. This will soon be referred to consultants to draft tender documents in relation to the works required and to seek a contractor. Once works are completed the maps can be placed on display with a view that the taking-in-charge process will be complete by the end of the year.

Cllr Francis Deane proposed that Meath County Council would write to Bus Éireann asking to extend the town bus service "to Old Johnstown village from Metges Road, via Kilcarn Road, via Johnstown Village to L5050 Chapel Road to Casey's Cross onto R153 Kentstown Road to Navan Town.”

He was told there were no plans to install bus stops in Old Johnstown Village at present.

"Upon completion of the new access road from Dunville to the L5050, the Council intends to request that the local Town Bus Service routes (N1 and N2) be redirected from Metges Road to Old Johnstown Village onto the L5050, and then to the Dunville access road, where it will turn back, around the roundabout, and return to Old Johnstown Village via the L5050.

At present there is no definitive timetable for the opening of this access road.

"If this is agreed, it is intended to complete design works, tender and construct a minimum of two bus stops in the vicinity of Old Johnstown Village to coincide with the opening of the road and the redirection of the bus services from Kilcarn," a report to the council stated.