Submission from Kinnegad Action Group and Community Council re: Sustainable Development of Kinnegad and surrounding area

Kinnegad Action Group and Kinnegad Community Council

County Development Plan Review

June 2020

Denis Leonard                                                                      Jimmy O’Connell

Chair                                                                                       Chair

Kinnegad Action Group                                                     Kinnegad Community Council

We would like to state at the outset that a lot of work went into the Kinnegad Action Plan launched in 2019 in conjunction with the Community Development section of Westmeath County Council and we would like this plan to facilitate as much of that roadmap as possible.  This is particularly in the areas of Community development, infrastructure, sporting, recreational and community facilities, enterprise, tourism, streetscape and local transport options. 

We also agree with and have pushed in the past for the following points on future development that were presented by our local councillor Denis Leonard in his February submission to this plan.

1. A rejuvenation of Main Street with Business incentives, resurfacing, streetscape works and penalising those who have left derelict buildings there for decades.

1. That Westmeath County Council would consider an area for Job creation/Enterprise Hub be created at the Old Tanyard site on Main Street to allow incubator units and areas for local employees to work remotely from a local centre.

1. That Westmeath County Council current objective MBLO 17 would be amended to support the development of an full size indoor sports centre and meeting rooms at Coralstown Kinnegad GAA where the site is available free gratis, a committee in place, sports grants available, and contains 500 car parking spaces.  This would allow the recent council obtained MBLO 22 the full use of the site for town park, open space, tree lined walking area, playground, outdoor basketball area, and possible skate park.

1. That Westmeath County Council would run a link road between the Killucan Road L1015-36 and where the R-446-0 meets the M4 in the interest of giving traffic a bypass of Kinnegad Main Street.  Also that Westmeath County Council would consider a link road between the Boreen Bradach and the L1015-36 to accommodate a secondary school along it. Also that Westmeath County Council would consider a connector road between the Tesco and the main street through the Tanyard site to be installed to allow circular walking traffic and to bring people into the main street.

1. That Westmeath County Council would consider badly needed additional housing once the amenities are in place in Kinnegad to allow it the maximum opportunity to attain a much-needed secondary school.

1. That Westmeath County Council would make central tenets of its transport strategy Killucan Station, regular bus services to Westmeath towns and villages, a transport museum in Mullingar and the reopening of the Mullingar to Athlone Rail line. For our area regular efficient services to Dublin, Galway and the West to facilitate local journeys to Mullingar, Athlone and Mullingar for hospitals, and third level education.

1. That Westmeath County Council would not amend its current development plan on setback distances for wind turbines but would rather work to ensure a fair balance of solar, wind, hydro, biogas, geothermal, waste to energy, biofuels, retrofitting etc. would be employed to not end up with too much reliance on won form of renewable energy that might adversely affect local communities.

1. That Westmeath County Council would consider proposed Elderly Community Complex, providing a combination of full residential care, assisted living units and independent living units for the active retired community, associated community facilities on a 5 hectare site spanning lands to the rear of the Mullingar and Killucan Roads to the west of the village at the back of the houses on both the Killucan and old Mullingar Roads  and closely related and proximate to the main Village Centre.’ The developer is willing to sign up to additional  land area to be given free gratis to the adjoining Kinnegad Junior soccer club that only have one pitch for over 300 members as well as a footpath across the front of his lands down to the pitch.

1. The need for a loop-walk down the Boreen Bradach and back along a yet to be installed footpath on the Killucan Road.  The Covid crises highlighted the fact that many people use this loop walk as a natural amenity that can be made safe by installing a short footpath from the end of the Boreen to Cairdeas Childcare.

1. Work has to be ongoing with the Dept. of Education now that Enfield with a lower population has been granted a secondary school.  Kinnegad is now the only major town from Dublin to Athlone along the N6 that does not have a secondary school. Land is zoned educational and has been available at a reasonable price for town centre land for over a decade.  The council must work with the Dept. of Education to secure the land, put in a supporting road network from Boreen to the Killucan Road and build an appropriately sized secondary school. 

The following general points have been made by this body going back to 2003 and by our local Cllr Denis Leonard.  Can these general areas be taken into account to in the new 2021-27 plan:

• In relation to archaeology the find of remains on the Boreen Bradagh emphasises the importance of keeping all areas of social and historical significance in the county adequately protected.  An area like the Boreen Bradagh should have a protection order on it wither a heritage order or protected walkway status. This should facilitate a historic loop walk with signage and Sli na Slainte markers down the Boreen and coming back along a footpath on the Killucan Road.

• In relation to Arts and Culture places like the new library and adult education centre proposed for old national school  in Kinnegad should be given a much bigger remit and budget for adult Education, QQI, and community education initiatives. Also Comholtas and other groups should be given more formal support and recognition and a place to develop.

• In relation to building density we feel that 3 stories is the maximum for Main Street or indeed any commercial area of the town and two stories should be the limit in residential areas.  Kinnegad does need more land designated residential once the amenities proposed in the rural regeneration funding are in place.  To get a much-needed secondary school the population needed to approach 5000.  Given its 38-mile proximity to Dublin and strategic location at the division of two major motorways the town has potential for sustained growth.

• For built heritage we feel that full protection and preservation orders should be placed on buildings like the old church, the parochial House, Donnelly’s, and the ruins of the old church and indeed any historical building or monument. This includes the Boreen Bradagh.  Once these are gone they are gone forever, and their loss is inestimable.  A heritage trail should be established to include these sites and areas like Rattin Castle, Clonard Monastic ruins, old Kinnegad ruins, the Royal Canal, Killucan Station, Coralstown Church, Confad and Griffintstown Cemeteries. etc. 

• In relation to economy towns like Kinnegad need a proper economic strategy, business park, employment opportunities and enterprise hub at the Tan yard with incubation units, and designated commercial areas. We need a task force operating between the County Council, local community council, business groups, Enterprise Ireland and national bodies to identify appropriate lands and attract investment.

• For housing we need all future developers to finish estates fully landscaped and to maintain all planning conditions and safety procedures and regulations while building.  Countless residents are left in limbo being moved from developer to Council and back trying to get works finished.  Landscaping, recreational area, open space and visual amenity are very important in estates.

• In relation to infrastructure it is very simple.  The services and amenities should come first and then the housing.  Areas like Kinnegad and countless others in this county were built in reverse.  As a result, for a population of near 3000 with countless others in the catchments and hinterland, Kinnegad has no secondary school, fire station, library, Sports Centre, or graveyard.

• For landscaping the approach roads (especially after a place is bypassed) provide the “welcome mat” and these roads leave a lot to be desired.  The NRA should have been required to do these works before the bypass opened.  Also parks, woodlands and natural landscape wonders like the Boreen should be advertised, signed and maintained to the highest standards.

• In Natural heritage the open areas, the surrounding woodlands, rivers and river walks, canals and natural habitats should be protected and maintained.  In relation to this the County Council should refuse developments like incinerators, landfills, windfarms in inappropriate places, etc. that would have catastrophic consequences for the natural environment and natural heritage in the long term. Plans that hold great wisdom and insight like Ann O’Leary’s original Visual Amenity Study of Kinnegad, which has already been filed in Westmeath County Council, and should be incorporated into Council policy.

• In relation to Open Space and Recreation it is this simple. If the Kinnegad area is to go to near 4000 of a population in the lifetime of this plan as is suggested, then the Open Space and recreation area is incredibly inadequate.  The UK standards in the issue paper when compared to Kinnegad and other similar size areas highlight how far away we are.  In Kinnegad there is no Public Park and only a small play area. There are no designated walkways, very few cycle lanes and anything that would inspire or facilitate leisure. We propose that before a developer puts up a single house they should have to develop a suitable recreational area and designated open space and green area. The area needs a town park at the old hall site on the Athlone Road to encompass walkways, tree line walkways, open field, playground and possible skate park and outdoor basketball area. An area at Kinnegad GAA which park 500 cars need to be developed in conjunction with the local sports hall committee which has access to sports development grants into a full size sports centre for basketball, volleyball, badminton, indoor games, bowls for the elderly, large scale fundraisers to make the hall sustainable and copious meeting rooms for local groups,

• For settlement policy you must have the amenities and facilities and services before you move any substantial population in.  On the other hand keeping Kinnegad limited on facilities to the benefit of Mullingar and Athlone is not fair to the thousands who live here.  Kinnegad would then become a self-fulfilling prophesy that would not attract inward investment or sustainable developers.

• In relation to social inclusion I feel a greater mix of houses being built by developers (the famous 20% affordable house rule) and also suitable community facilities for those who have special requirements.  Those with disabilities, the elderly, or special learning needs must be catered for in a holistic planning model as well.

• In relation to environment an area that has Lagan Cement, illegal dumping, traffic congestion, river pollution etc needs far greater protection from developers and those who do not hold the environment in proper regard.  In the early noughties we had 8 applications within 8 miles of Kinnegad which all represented an assault on the air quality, water, soil and biodiversity of the area.  The County Council must not allow their voice in such matters to be eroded by national infrastructure demands

• Sustainable Development must promote renewable energy; higher building standards, greater enforcement of building regulations and better use of resources.

• Tourism cannot be promoted without proper signage, accessible parking and appropriate information leaflets.  This is simply not happening now.  The Council should be funding local projects to restore buildings, bridges, monuments as well as making roundabouts and approach roads attractive and installing appropriate signage.

• Town Centre is where the shop window of most areas is on view. We feel mixed development must be promoted as too much of anything would be a disaster for the area. Derelict sites must be given a very specific time frame on which to build or move on. Parking must be freed up on Main Street to protect local businesses and the streetscape plan as part of rural development must be fully implemented. 

• Transport is one of the largest areas of concern locally.  Another bus depot is needed on the bypass as well as a car park to accompany it. If there was some form of local employment that so many people would no longer need to commute. A secondary school would also minimise a large amount of travel. Essential services like the Garda station, bank and post office must be kept local to minimise car journeys. Killucan Station must be reopened to give commuters another option and new roads opening must not have the prohibitive tolls that the present bypass demands. Cycle lanes must also be integrated into the area with bike parks in all suitable locations and car parks. Bus Eireann must be pushed to restore the level of service to Kinnegad that existed when the population was half of what it is now.   

Conclusion

• There will be a capital stimulus plan in place to help towns to develop sustainably, support small business and maximise the tourist potential of the area.  Kinnegad is in a prime location 38 miles from Dublin on motorways that should declutter with low carbon polices and remote working and so is ideally located to maximise this type of funding.  The Rural Development funding should give the town the stimulus and investment it has never received as it was passed up for any major grant going for at least 30 years.

•  In terms of overall design, the history, character and heritage of Kinnegad must not be undermined by unsustainable development, lack of essential infrastructure, or inappropriate design.  It is not a spot on the map to be carved and deployed but rather an area that demands a holistic sustainable plan of this and future generations.