'There’s nowhere else for the kids to play safely'... Bettystown residents in fresh fight to save green space in their estate

Residents in Bettystown say they are preparing for a second battle in months to protect a community green space, following the submission of a new planning application for housing within their estate.

The proposal, lodged with Meath County Council by Redbreast Investment Limited, seeks permission to construct three dwellings on a central green area in the Foxbury estate on the Golf Links Road, along with associated roadworks and site alterations.

The application follows a similar proposal that was refused in recent months, a decision residents believed had settled the issue.

“When we won last September, we had a party on the green. We thought that was it, that it was put to bed,” said local resident Sharon Hayes.

The new application has caused significant upset within the estate, where residents say the green is a vital amenity.

“We’re just very annoyed and very angry,” she said. “There are about 14 children in the estate and they use it all the time for football, for playing, for everything.

“There’s nowhere else for the kids to play safely. The only other green is at the front of the estate, but that’s near a busy road.”

Sharon said the space is widely used by the wider community, including dog owners and families, particularly during the summer months, and added that many residents purchased homes specifically because they overlooked the green.

“I’ve lived here for 12 or 13 years and there was never any talk of building on it until last year,” she said.

Flooding is also a major concern. Sharon pointed to previous incidents in the area, including a significant event two years ago.

“The green itself floods, and there’s a river at the back that hasn’t been cleaned in years,” she said. “Adding houses there is not going to make anything better.”

Residents say the development would also bring increased traffic, parking pressure and a loss of light to surrounding homes.

Meanwhile, fellow resident Tony Andrews said the proposal would significantly reduce one of the estate’s only usable open spaces.

“The biggest issue is the importance of this green space to residents especially for young children,” he said. “Parents know it’s safe because it’s set back from the main road. It’s a place where kids can play freely.”

He said the revised application differs in design from the previously refused proposal, with three detached houses replaced by a mix of one detached bungalow and two semi-detached units. However, he said the changes do not address residents’ core concerns, as the development remains on the same green space.

Tony also questioned the planning basis for the application, arguing that official assessments do not reflect the “lived experience” of residents.

“In reality, there’s only one main usable green area, and even that has infrastructure on it, so it can’t fully be counted as open space,” he said. “If you take that into account, what’s left is very limited.”

He added that residents have maintained the green themselves for years, funding regular grass cutting and upkeep.

“We treat it like our own garden. People take pride in it,” he said.

Residents have also voiced frustration over the estate’s long-standing status, as it has yet to be taken in charge by the local authority.

“It’s a catch-22,” said Tony. “The council says it can’t take the estate in charge until the developer completes certain works, but those works haven’t been done.”

Public representatives have also weighed in on the issue.

Fianna Fail Cllr Stephen McKee said he would strongly oppose the application, describing the green as an essential amenity within the estate.

“The green space is used daily by local children and provides a safe, open space for all residents,” he said. “It is simply inconceivable that planning would be granted on such an important piece of green space.”

He also raised concerns about flooding, noting the site is located within a Zone B flood risk area.

Meanwhile Sinn Fein Cllr Maria White said she also supports residents’ objections and warned against allowing development in an area with known flood risks.

She said the estate’s failure to be taken in charge after nearly three decades raises serious concerns.

“Allowing further development now would reward decades of inaction and sends the wrong message,” she said.

Cllr White also claimed the application misrepresents certain lands as usable green space, including areas used by Uisce Éireann and ESB Networks infrastructure.

Residents say they have received no direct engagement from the developer and are now preparing fresh submissions ahead of the April 2 deadline.

“We’re back to square one again,” Ms Hayes said. “We have to go through the whole process again for something that should never have been considered in the first place."

Submissions on the application can be made to Meath County Council up to April 2nd.