Appeal lodged against Athboy health centre

Plans to provide a community health centre in Athboy have ran into another stumbling block with the lodging of an appeal against the project with the planning appeals board, An Bord Pleanala. Navan-based planning consultant Joe Casserly, acting on behalf of unnamed residents of the Coille Dios housing development on the Cowpark site, has appealed the decision of Meath County Council to grant permission for the project. The move could jeopardise the €2 million in funding allocated by the Health Service Executive (HSE) for the project, part of the Athboy Social Needs and Recreational Company's vision for the Cowpark. Six years ago, a major initiative was launched for the disused commonage, known locally as 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 planning and mapping consultant Mr Casserly, objected to the HSE application to build an 866 square metre primary care centre, comprising of consultant rooms, treatment rooms, a 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 and a footpath. Mr Casserly said the proposed development is located within zoning objective A2: 'to provide for new residential communities and community facilities and to protect existing residential areas'. 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, the agent for the objectors added. 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. Mr Casserly, in his appeal to An Bord Pleanala, said that Meath County Council already has granted planning approval for a similar development and that another development of this nature in Athboy, with its population of 2,200 people, is not sustainable. He is referring to a development at Connaught Street being developed by Mr RA Rowan of Kimmage Road West in Dublin, on which construction work is not yet complete. This is a two-storey building with a pharmacy, medical centre and clinic and consulting rooms. The ambitious €9 million sporting and social facility on the grounds of the Cowpark in Athboy was described as "a project for the people" by former local councillor 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 also 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.