Kells Anglers withdraw from judicial review paving the way for the delivery of 69 new social homes in the area

The withdrawal by Kells Anglers of High Court proceedings, which were due to be heard next week, has paved the way for the delivery of 69 new social homes in Kells.

The angling club has withdrawn Judicial Review proceedings in relation to Meath County Council Housing projects at Carrick Street/Maudlin Street and at Archdeaconry.

It is understood that subject to Departmental Approval, the council is expected to tender both contracts in March/April 2026.

A spokesperson for Meath County Council said: “Meath County Council has re-commenced working on both schemes.”

The Carrick Street/Maudlin Street regeneration project will provide 47 housing units.

The proposed development at Archdeaconry Glebe would see the construction of 22 new residential units. Both projects received the go-ahead from An Bord Pleanala, but Kells Anglers had been granted a Judicial Review in the High Court. These were to have been heard early next month,

Cllr Sean Drew has welcomed the recent withdrawal of Judicial Reviews

“The Judicial Reviews were instigated in April 2024. Now nineteen months later and literally days before the cases were due to be heard in the High Court, it has been withdrawn.”

“Both developments commenced the planning process in mid 2022, however the objections, initially to An Bord Pleanala and then the Judicial Reviews, have to date delayed the construction phase of the houses and the regeneration of the town centre streets by over three years.”

Cllr Drew said he was particularly pleased that the long awaited regeneration of the Carrick St /Maudlin St area can now progress.

“This part of the town with many vacant buildings has been long overdue renovation and this project will bring life back into the community and improve the visual appearance of the area. The development includes the refurbishment of nine existing properties to provide 11 housing units. In addition 36 new units will be constructed on lands to the rear of Carrick St and Maudlin St providing a total of 47 new housing units as part of the scheme.”

“The 47 homes include 20 one-bed units, 21 two -bed and six three-bed, reflecting the social housing need in Kells which is primarily one and two bed, and also allowing for older person living within a town centre location. In addition, 16 of the units will be designed to Universal Design access standards to allow for future proofing of the properties as people’s needs change during the course of their lifetime.

“This allows the changing needs of people to be accommodated without any further intervention or changes to the properties. “This is a project that I had worked on for a number of years prior to 2022, directly with both Meath County Council and the Department of Housing.

“I am glad to finally see it progress past these planning objections. The delays have been particularly frustrating, as the highly positive outcome of this development will not only see 47 households getting new homes but also the long awaited regeneration of Carrick St and Maudlin St.

“Now that the Judicial Review cases have been withdrawn, I will be urging Meath County Council to move forward with the next phase of the project. This will require a swift tendering process and the agreement of the Department to fund any increased construction costs, consequential to the delays caused by the Judicial Reviews.

“The ultimate objective is the commencement of the construction and regeneration works at the earliest opportunity, leading to delivery of the new homes and restoration of the area.”

In a statement, Kells Anglers said they are pro-development, pro-proper planning, and only seek what the council itself states are “urgently necessary infrastructure upgrades for the sustainable future development of Kells, and the protection of our essential natural resources, namely the water we drink.”

“It is only due to the loss of our water services expert, that the cases have been withdrawn. The delay in replacing our expert, and further additional evidence presented by the new expert, faced legal objections from the respondent’s which would have further delayed the cases. Thus, the undeniable facts remain undealt with for now.

“Every development plan for Kells since 2007 states the waste water treatment plant (WWTP) and sewerage collection system are at capacity and require a multi-million euro upgrade. The current 2022-27 Meath Development Plan, signed off in September 2021 by the Kells Councillors, states the WWTP capacity of 8,000PE has been surpassed, and an upgrade to 13,500PE is expected within the plan’s lifetime.

“On foot of a complaint in February 2022, Uisce Éireann responded, saying for the first time the capacity was increased to 9,800PE in August 2020, but all Uisce Éireann, EPA and council reports and communications for 2020 and 2021 state the capacity is still 8,000PE.”

The statement claims that Uisce Éireann still only has an EPA treatment licence for an 8,000PE capacity and the plant’s two supposed storm water outlets both pump out untreated liquid sewage over 100 times a year,

“Many Kells residents will also be aware of the increasing manhole and pipe sewerage overflows, and now internally in some homes. The latest report on the collection system commissioned by Uisce Éireann and the council, the 2020 Kells Sewerage Scheme Network Upgrade Report stated 12.8 kilometres, or eight miles of pipe needed to be replaced before any new development in Kells, or existing residents would have serious sewerage issues.

“No work has been done and Uisce Éireann have confirmed no further infrastructure investment for Kells until at least 2050, despite the water shortages, collapsing sewerage collection system, and council requirements for a 13,500PE WWTP before 2027 to cater for rapid population growth and continued development in Kells.”