Fears for Athboy health centre funding

Plans to build a community health centre at the Cowpark project in Athboy have ran into trouble with residents from the Coille Dios housing estate lodging an objection to the application by the Health Service Executive (HSE). It is understood that a funding allocation of around €2 million, which has been earmarked by the HSE for the Athboy facility, could now be in jeopardy if the project is delayed. Six years ago, Athboy Social and Recreational Company launched a major project at the disused commonage, the Cowpark, which included the social housing development Coille Dios, sports and leisure facilities, parkland, scouts camping facilities, riverwalks and the health centre. Over the years, many elements of this project have been completed, including the local authority housing. A number of unnamed 'concerned residents of Coille Dios", acting through Joe Casserly, planning and mapping consultant, have objected to the HSE application to build an 866 square metre part single-storey, part two-storey primary care centre, comprising of consultant rooms, treatment rooms, dental surgery, administration offices and ancillary facilities with vehicular access off Lower Bridge Street. The application also includes 24 car parking spaces, a service compound, a footpath to the boundary of the site with a rendered blockwork boundary wall and railings along the pavement and fencing to the east boundary with entrance gates to the southern boundary and an access road to facilitate possible future development of the adjoining site. The objectors say the proposed development is located within zoning objective A2: 'to provide for new residential communities and community facilities and to protect existing residential areas". They say that this zoning is open for consideration for the provision of doctor/dental surgery but not for the provision of such a large primary care centre. They add that the existing wastewater treatment for the town, for which an upgrade is due to be completed in mid-2010, is unable to cope with such a development. The Coille Dios residents say the proposed development is not in keeping with the surrounding area, and that there are issues regarding windows overlooking adjoining properties, the height, bulk and design of the adjoining properties, traffic hazards and volume, unloading of service vehicles, footpaths, cycle paths, public lighting and parking issues. A total of 23 points have been made by the objectors. The ambitious €9 million sporting and social facility on the grounds of the Old Cowpark in Athboy was described as 'a project for the people' by Cllr Liz McCormack, the chairperson of the limited company, when the plans were launched. The development of the 29-acre site includes playing pitches, bowling and archery facilities, a sports hall, riverside walks, tennis and basketball courts and social housing, which were all part of the plans, much of which have come into being over the past six years. The Coille Dios housing estate provides 56 local authority homes. Work is ready to begin on the all-weather pitches and dressing rooms are planned. Originally, a site of about 35 acres was transferred by the Dyas estate to trustees appointed by the Department of Lands in 1948. The land was a commonage to be used to provide pasture for local people with no land of their own. When the Department of Agriculture decided to dispose of all such sites, Meath County Council, with the support of Athboy Community Forum, secured the site. The subsequent Athboy Social Needs and Recreational Company is a partnership between local community representatives, councillors and council officials. A major fundraising drive took place to raise funds, and State funding was also secured to develop the former Cowpark.