Litir Chumhdaigh
My name is Tom Keenan. I am a long time resident of Ashbourne. The motivation for my submission is to help Meath County Council with the development of Ashbourne for the benefit of all residents of Ashbourne and surrounding areas and for the benefit of visitors to Ashbourne, and to make a positive contribution to the battle against Climate Change, loss of Bio-Diversity, and general environmental improvement and protection, and with the added benefit of helping helping our national health service by helping people to improve their mental and physical health.
Proposed Ashbourne Amendment No 1 should be extended to include the possibility of a rail connection from Ashbourne to Dublin Airport e.g. to read as follows: "As part of the future planning of public transport infrastructure for Ashbourne the Dunboyne/M3 Parkway line to Navan, the possibility of a spur serving Ashbourne and Ratoath, or a rail connection from Ashbourne to Dublin Airport, should be explored subject to compliance with national policy and the Railways Order."
Proposed Amendment No 3 should be extended to include reference to both housing and commencial developments so that a clear strategy for the development of the town and its surrounds can be available to everyone particularly to professionals involved in developments in the area., e.g. modify Proposed Amendment No 3 to read as follows: "To implement and ensure compliance realm enhancement works in accordance with the recommendations in the Public Realm Plan Strategy prepared for Ashbourne which provides for a themed strategy for the provision of housing and commercial developments, street furniture, planting, traffic and parking, lighting, building colours, (local and tourist) signage and surface materials etc. within the town and its surrounds."
In general I would support the overall objective of these amendments which appears to me to be directed at improving the availability of parklands for the people of Ashbourne and surrounding areas. However, I would like to request that maximum benefit of the presence of a watercourse flowing through the "Killegland" lands be taken into account in the location and development of any public parkland in this area.
That a public park is needed is not in question, however the proposed size of the parkland at approximtely 80 acres seems to be fixated on providing the minimum area suitable for the twon's population of about 15,000 people, rather that taking a more enlightened approach by extending the proposed area to perhaps 160 acres to take account of, and make provision for, the 15,000 population of the town, and include the population of areas surrounding Ashbourne, (including Ratoath, Curraha, etc)., who can reasonably be expected to avail of the proposed Public Parkand for exercise and recreation.
We get just one chance to get this project right and a broad view of the benefits of the proposed parkland should be used in the planning of this project.