Trim halt site plan leads to heated exchanges

A discussion on the St Martin's Park Travellers' halt site at Trim Town Council last week led to angry exchanges between independent councillors Phil Cantwell and Trevor Golden. The matter arose during a presentation by Larry Whelan, senior executive officer of the council's housing department, on housing issues at the April meeting of the local authority. Mr Whelan told the councillors that the council hoped to be in a position to sign a contract for the redevelopment of the halt site next week. The existing residents would be moved onto a temporary site when the redevelopment works were being carried out. The current bay structure was being replaced with a more traditional housing structure, Mr Whelan explained. There had been consultation with the residents themselves, neighbouring residents and agencies. The new development would be more attractive and acceptable than the present situation, he added. A four-month construction period was envisaged. Cllr Cantwell said that this was all very well on paper, as it was 10 or 12 years ago when it was being built, and accused the council of walking away from the problem then. Horses, caravans and fires had all been issues there over the years, he said. "When there were problems there, no-one wanted to know," he said. "The council must live up to its obligations." Cllr Golden pointed out to Cllr Cantwell that a Part VIII planning procedure had been gone through. "Did you make a submission to the Part VIII, in line with proper procedure?" Cllr Golden asked Cllr Cantwell. Cllr Golden pointed out that both he and Cllr Ronan McKenna had made submissions on the matter through the proper channels of the Part VIII process. "I've brought it up at meeting after meeting," Cllr Cantwell replied, telling Cllr Golden not to be so arrogant and calling him "a dosser". Cathaoirleach, Cllr Ray Butler, said he could see where the discussion was going and would put a stop to it if it continued in such a vein. Cllr McKenna said he didn't believe there had been extensive consultation with residents of the area, and that there was still an opportunity for the housing department to address the concerns of local residents in good faith. He said the residents of neighbouring Maudlin Vale want careful management of the project. Mr Whelan said that what is proposed for the halt site is a huge improvement on what tenants there have at the moment. If there are any issues of antisocial behaviour, the council would take action, he pledged. Director of services Brendan McGrath said extensive consultations had taken place, and that there were a considerable range of rights to be addressed. Local residents, local authority tenants and various other stakeholders had to be considered. The development would be open to the road and there will be CCTV being relayed back to the Garda station. A voluntary housing agency was in talks about the long-term management of the site, and there will be a full-time caretaker. If problems do occur, they will be nipped in the bud at the beginning, he added. Mr McGrath said the fundamental change was that St martin's Park was moving from a halt site to a group housing scenario. It follows the successful redevelopment of the Navan halt site, which has become an award-winning site of which the residents are rightly proud and are involved in the management of it, Mr McGrath added.