Johnstown protest at development

Residents of Johnstown protested outside yesterday's meeting of Navan Municipal District Council against proposals for 104 apartments at Metges Road, Johnstown.

At a public meeting on Thursday night, there was standing room only as residents voiced their opposition to the proposals by Hunt Capital for four apartment blocks ranging from four to five storeys containing, one, two and three-bedroom apartments, as well as commercial units at Metges Road, Johnstown.
Spokesperson Cal Mooney said one of the key suggestions of the night was to protest outside Wednesday's meeting of the council, where councilors are now expected to suspend standing orders to discuss the development.
"We have been told that Meath County Council owns part of the site for this development," Mr Mooney says.
He pointed out that this is the third planning application for this site. The last application, which was refused last September, was for less apartments that the current application.
The  current proposals is for four buildings ranging in height from four to five storeys over basement on a site measuring 1.23 hectares. It will contain 104 apartments (20 one-bed, 76 two-bed and eight three-bed) as well as 1,536 square metres of commercial space including a crèche, sports facility, offices, own-door commercial units and ancillary spaces. 
"Wednesday's protest will be the first major public protest meeting in response to over-development in Johnstown and our first public protest regarding Meath County Council support for the proposed development," said Mr Mooney.
"The An Bord Pleanala rejection in 2018 stated that lack of community facilities was one of their considerations for not approving the development.
"This proposal would rip out a green area in the heart of Johnstown. It is a tree lined area where people love to go for walks. Johnstown is crying out for facilities including a playground and nobody would object to a proposal for a playground in this area. 
Mr Mooney points out that there are proposals to built between 800 to 1000 new housing units in Johnstown by March 2020, but the area has no community facilities and no garda station.
"There is nothing in Johnstown but they want to shove in another 104 housing units on top of all the rest.
"People are getting very angry and we are protesting tomorrow to hold the local councilors to account," he said.
Mr Mooney, who owns one of the town houses at Bailis Village, says that the proposed apartment blocks are only three to four metres from the boundary wall of his and other's back gardens.
"We don't get sun at the front of the house, and the only sunlight is in our back gardens. The new apartments will block the natural light," he said.
Cllr Alan Lawes said "We don’t want or don’t need high rise apartments in this area." 
"The people of Bailis Village would be looking at apartment blocks right up to their back walls that are three times higher than the walls."
Hunt Capital Ltd has indicated it intends to apply to An Bord Pleanála for permission for a strategic housing development at the site - this means the application is dealt with by An Bord Pleanala only and Meath County council will not be involved .
The developer has been approached for comment.
A spokesperson for Meath County Council said the application for the development in Metges Road is with An Bord Pleanála and the council is not in a position to comment.