Ardee residents fear the planned bypass will cause flooding to their homes

Worried Meath residents, who have warned the planned Ardee bypass is likely to cause flooding to their homes, say they are devastated that the Judicial Review of the bypass was dismissed last week in the High Court.

The friends of Ardee Bog have been campaigning against the proposed N52 bypass of Ardee which will run from Mandistown on the Ardee-Kells Road to north of Ardee town through the Mandistown, Cortown roads of north Meath, as well as the famous Ardee Bog.

The campaigners said they are considering further legal action in a bid to prevent local homes from flooding and to protect a valuable ecological habitat, which is home to breeding curlews, lapwings and other wildlife.

Terry Halpenny of Cortown, Drumconrath, says his home will be under threat from flooding and he fears that the important wildlife habitat of the bog will be destroyed.

"The area where they are building the road is a flood basin. It is regularly flooded – sometimes it looks like a lake," he says.

"As the crow flies it is about a kilometre and a half from my house. We are in a valley along the Garrib river. The river bursts its banks three to five times every year. If the bypass is built where it is planned, our homes are now likely to be flooded.

"Ardee bog is a heritage site with unique wildlife and vegetation. People come long distances to walk here in summer to hear the cuckoo and we have curlews nesting here too."

Residents are also concerned about the traffic the bypass will generate along quiet country roads from Hunterstown on the N2 outside Ardee to Mandistown, on the N52 where the proposed bypass will start.

"It is madness. Traffic coming from Collon or Slane who want to bypass Ardee will use the quiet rural roads to get to Mandistown on the Kells Road to join the bypass there."

A spokesperson for Friends of Ardee Bog said there were very disappointed with the decision and would now consider further legal action.

She pointed out that there is significant evidence of the curlew, which is under threat of extinction, breeding on Ardee Bog, as well as the lapwing.

"We are deeply concerned at the risk of exacerbation of flooding due to the construction of the foundation for the road which will act like a dam and this, together with the increased rainfall because of our climate change, puts family homes in the area in greater peril. Who will compensate these people when their homes are flooded?

"We are desperately disappointed in this decision. Our only goal was to protect the environment from being damaged irreparably."

She pointed out that as well as the curlew, there are barn owls and lapwing, hares, meadow pipit, snipe, redwing and yellow hammer in the area, there are eels in the local drains, frogs and otters.

"All of this wildlife is protected under directives and wildlife laws and will be lost once a roadway is built and their habitat destroyed permanently."

Cllr Michael Gallagher warned the bypass will cause a lot of flooding, as it will be built on a flood plain. "There are a number of local roads around the area that will be blocked by the bypass and will become cul de sacs.

"It makes no sense, as traffic from Dublin will still have to go right through Ardee or else they will cut off around Hunterstown and use the back roads to Mandistown to get on the bypass – which will cause a lot of problems for people in those areas."

Meanwhile, Louth TD, Fergus O’Dowd, and Ardee's Cllr Dolores Minogue, have warmly welcomed news the dismissal of the judicial review.

“This is great news and brings us one step closer to seeing the bypass becoming a reality.

“The bypass will improve road safety, reduce vehicular traffic in the town, provide better air quality and allow for more active travel opportunities in the town."

Cllr Minogue said “I’m over the moon that the courts have made this decision, this bypass will finally rid the town of so much unnecessary traffic and pollution and it will give the traders a real boost."