Wexford community park will enhance local village once complete but funding must first be found
Seen as a great amenity for the community, Bunclody Community College have thrown their support behind the initiative.
"Bunclody Community College is delighted to support the Páirc na nGabhar Community Garden initiative. The Páirc na nGabhar committee was formed to develop the field and turn it into a community amenity. The committee consists of town residents, who are passionate about this development. Once completed it will be inclusive and available to all ages, genders and abilities,' they said.
There was a public consultation held in St Aidan's Hall on Wednesday, April 16 where locals and residents could visit, have a look at the plan and give their feedback. The public meeting was attended by Cllr Barbara-Anne Murphy, Deputy Malcolm Byrne and Chief Executive of Wexford County Council Eddie Taaffe.
At the April meeting of the Enniscorthy municipal district held just a day before, Cllr Barbara-Anne Murphy stressed the importance of working together with members of the public on these kinds of projects.
"The important thing is that it is welcome for people to have comments on it and to make suggestions on it or changes – that is what it is about. It's not just saying 'this is it, here is the done deal.' It is asking people if they are happy with it or something that they would change. It is the consultation aspect,' she said.
District Manager Claire Lawless further explained that the draft plans include a walking track, a picnic area, and a flower section.
The project will be progressed when funding is sourced.
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Irish Independent
a day ago
- Irish Independent
Safety of children to the fore as Wexford council holds public meeting for safe routes to school scheme in Kiltealy
The (SRTS) programme is designed to improve safety and accessibility for students walking and cycling to school. It is coordinated by An Taisce, funded by the Department of Transport via the National Transport Authority, and is delivered in collaboration with WCC. For Kiltealy NS, which currently sees 84 per cent of students travelling to class by car, this will mean the construction of safe crossing points, reduced road widths and the inclusion of segregated walking and cycling paths to and from the school. However, upon the publication of the proposed SRTS scheme for Kiltealy earlier this year, WCC received 94 written submissions from members of the local community, the majority of which voiced their opposition to the proposals. Among their concerns were the use of nearby car parks as drop-off points for children and potential congestion at car parks in the community centre and the church. With SRTS primarily focused on moving all traffic away from schools and preventing parents from driving to the gates to collect and drop-off their children, other submissions questioned the wisdom of effectively forcing people to walk to school, during bad weather, with three or four children. One of the overriding themes in all those submissions was the sense that WCC was not listening to the concerns of the local community and that the works were going to go ahead without any proper public consultation. John Murphy and Cllr Barbara-Anne Murphy at the Safe Routes to School public consultation meeting at Kiltealy Community Centre. In an effort to alleviate those concerns, Mr Hore and his staff set up detailed drawings and maps of the proposed works in the community centre on Thursday afternoon and fielded questions from those who continued to voice their opposition to the plans. Many of those attending the public consultation were quietly in favour of the works and were quick to praise council officials for coming and, not only listening to their concerns, but also implementing changes on foot of those discussions. 'WCC has listened to people's concerns,' said Anita Brennan. 'One concern I had was the construction of footpaths all the way through the village, and that's been reduced now. My children currently walk to school anyway, but it's not ideal with the speed of the cars coming through. However, when this is complete it will be a lot safer, all the speed ramps will make a huge difference.' Another attendee, who wished not to be named, said the scheme had divided the community to such an extent that it had caused some of those in favour of the works to shy away from the public consultation. 'There's been a lot of intimidation going on and that was evident throughout the consultation in the community centre,' they said. 'And this is not just me saying this, five or six people I spoke to felt the same. It's been going on since the very beginning, to the extent that some people chose not to come here today because they knew what it would be like when they got here. Anne and Michelle Jordan at the Safe Routes to School public consultation meeting at Kiltealy Community Centre. "There were signs put up around the village, we weren't going to do similar, it would have turned it into a circus. That's why a lot of those in favour of the scheme weren't heard as much. There's ways and means of doing things, and ultimately the submissions were read and listened to by the council.' All six of the Enniscorthy district's councillors were in attendance throughout the course of the day and Fine Gael's Pat Kehoe said that presenting the information in person had allowed locals to see first-hand how the alterations will affect the village. 'I think people are glad the council staff have come up here today and put everything on display for them to see,' he said. 'It's much clearer once you see it here in person, the engineers have made significant changes, they have taken a lot of the footpath out of the village – which was a major concern for a lot of people who contacted me about this. 'The general consensus is that safety has to be paramount, people have concerns about certain aspects of the scheme but, to date, even with the queries I've brought to them, the council's staff have listened. WCC is open to change, but it's governed by guidelines set in place which are outside of its control by the SRTS team.' Asked whether he would be voting in favour of the scheme when it came to the EMD next month, Cllr Kehoe replied, 'I 100 per cent will be voting for safety at the school in Kiltealy.' While he will not have any official say in the progress of this scheme, Senator Cathal Byrne has a vested interest in the works given that he is a past pupil of Kiltealy NS. And, like his Fine Gael colleague, he was in favour of the scheme going ahead. 'It's very important that the council facilitated this day so that people can speak directly with the engineers and give their feedback, often, unless you're in front of a map or a drawing and you get the perspective of the engineer, it's hard to find the balance,' he said. 'The focus now has to be on getting safety right in the village,' Cllr Barbara-Anne Murphy said that, while there were still some dissenting voices, she had heard a lot of positivity from those who had come to speak to the council's engineers. Currently the school is experiencing a lot of congestion during pick-up and drop-off times. 'People feel that what they're saying today is being taken note of and any of the little suggestions are being taken on board. They feel the council is now listening,' she said. 'There are still some people who don't want any changes to Kiltealy and I can understand where they're coming from too. But it's important that people know the council will listen and that this is the way we should be doing things. 'Since I first became a councillor in 2004 I've had people asking me if the speed in Kiltealy could be addressed and if we could make it safer for children in the school. And this will make it safer for both the children in the school and the people in the village.' Asked whether she would be voting in favour of the scheme in September, the Fianna Fáil councillor had a couple of suggestions of her own, 'I have asked that they put a disabled parking spot at the cemetery and perhaps an age-friendly space,' she said. Having discussed the plans in depth with council staff and engineers, the Kiltealy NS Board of Management issued the following statement regarding the SRTS scheme at their school. "The Board of Management of Kiltealy NS welcomed the opportunity for residents of the community to review the revised plans presented by WCC on Thursday. Where possible these updated proposals reflect the submissions made by community members during the recent public consultation, highlighting the value of public engagement in shaping local developments. 'The public meeting provided a valuable forum for residents to voice concerns about the revised plans. We would like to express our gratitude to WCC engineers who were on hand to respond to queries and offer clarification, ensuring transparency and open dialogue. The open forum format made it easier for all attendees to be heard and to ask questions directly, fostering a more inclusive and constructive discussion. 'We are encouraged by the council's commitment to addressing key issues, particularly those related to speed and congestion outside the school. These revised plans mark a meaningful step toward a solution that balances the needs of all stakeholders. Above all, the Board remains confident that WCC will return with a final plan that considers further feedback received yesterday and places the safety and wellbeing of children at its core, while also meeting the broader needs of the community." After meeting with Mr Hore and outlining his concerns in person, Kieron Doyle, who has objected to the works from the outset, maintained that many of the issues he, and others, had with the scheme were not being looked at. 'There's still no drop-off at the school in the plans,' he noted. 'There's parking spaces opposite the school which are being used by the teachers right now and they're on the hard shoulder. The people who live on that side of the road have a constant issue with sightlines when exiting their homes, it's dangerous for them to come out on to the road. "We asked if the council could consider moving where the teachers park, move them here to the community centre and use those spaces on the hard shoulder for drop-offs. It would only be used temporarily in the mornings and afternoons and would be clear for the residents for the rest of the day.' Cllr John O'Rourke, Bernie Hanrahan and Clinton Donavan, Wexford County Council at the Safe Routes to School public consultation meeting at Kiltealy Community Centre. With regards to those car parks, which are situated at the community centre (250m from the school), the cemetery (200m), and the church (400m), Kieron contended that two of them do not currently meet Health and Safety Authority (HSA) guidelines and therefore need to be upgraded before they can be used for the purposes of 'park and stride'. 'They should have a flow with an exit and an entrance, you would have to remove six spaces to create a flow system, I would like to see that on the plans,' he said. 'They also require lights and an even surface. If there's plans to make revisions to the car park that needs to be presented to the people so they can have a look at it.' Speaking after the event, which saw over 120 people visit the community centre during the five-hours of consultation, Mr Hore said 'The overall sentiment was that people are very much in favour of making the village safer, not only for the children but also for all who live in the village. There was almost unanimous approval for ramps, safe pedestrian crossings, additional public lighting, and footpath improvements. The extent of new footpaths was much reduced following earlier submissions and observations whilst still keeping safe pedestrian movement through the village. The main issue with a number of people was the placing of pencil bollards outside the school itself, preventing the parking of cars on the footpath/road during school drop off. However, this is one of the key tenets of the Safe Routes to Schools Guidance. "Most people attending were very complimentary of the engagement with the public, with the clear drawings, presentations and the detailed conversations with the WCC staff present.' Noting that 'some particularly good suggestions and observations were put forward' during the consultation Mr Hore said WCC will now prepare a final SRTS design for the village. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Irish Independent
Popular Wexford beach gets over €38,000 funding for accessibility
The funding was provided by the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme, where Wexford has seen a number of projects receive funding, totalling nearly €310,000 for eight projects across the region. Among the projects, Morriscastle beach in Gorey stands out as Wexford County Council intends to create an accessible viewing stand and lay out 50 metres of beach matts across the beach with €38,052 in funding. In 2022, following the launch of beach mats to allow for wheelchair accessibility at Rosslare Strand, members of Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District announced their wish to roll them out at Morriscastle. Councillor Mary Farrell is delighted the funding has been approved and is excited to get started on the project. 'It is a fantastic blue flag beach along the North of Wexford. 'We wanted to make it more accessible for people, we have the boardwalk, but we came up with the beach mats to extend from the boardwalk, Cllr Mary said. A viewing stand is a raised platform where people with limited mobility, wheelchair users, or those with difficulty accessing an area, can view the beach and ocean without having to navigate difficult terrain. While the beach mats provide a durable surface for wheelchairs users, or strollers to travel across sand more easily. The viewing stand and beach mats would make Morriscastle beach more inclusive and accessible to those who use a wheelchair, allowing them easier access to recreational spaces. Mary further said she hopes the viewing stand and beach mats will be up and running at Morriscastle next year for the summer season. 'It will be available all year round for everybody to avail of. 'We have the boardwalk, we have the beach wheelchair and now we'll have the viewing stand and beach mats, so it's an addition to that,' Mary added. Wicklow Wexford TD Brian Brennan has also welcomed the number of developments brought to fruition under the scheme. 'We are extraordinarily lucky to live in a place with such an abundance of natural beauty and it is really important that we continue to invest in the infrastructure to ensure that these areas are accessible and open for use. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more 'I want to commend the various community groups who collaborate with key stakeholders to develop and enhance recreational amenities in their locality,' Deputy Brennan said. In addition to this, many other projects being funded include walking trails, mountain access routes and outdoor swimming amenities at Crory lane link to the Edenvale Walk trail and Sweetwalk trail. The Blackstairs Recreation Trail will undertake a feasibility study for a walking & cycling trail connecting Bunclody, Kiltealy, Killanne, Templeudigan and Ballywilliam. 'Funding provided under this scheme continues to deliver and enhance our recreational offering which is of huge importance to us from a community wellbeing perspective, as well as being a catalyst for tourism in rural areas,' Deputy Brennan added.
The Journal
3 days ago
- The Journal
Archeological expert criticises Wexford council over destruction of 'historic' homes
A FORMER PRESIDENT of the British Archeological Association has criticised Wexford County Council for its handling of a historic part of the county town. The comments were made after the local authority and the State planning authority gave approval for a developer to demolish houses dating to the mid 1800s in an area known as The Faythe. Located close to Wexford Harbour near the south-east coast, The Faythe is in a historic part of Wexford town where its narrow streets crisscross eras of the last several hundred years of Irish history. Dr Richard Gem told The Journal that it was important to see The Fayth granted special conservation status so that the area could be developed in line with the historic nature of the area. He said it was a matter of 'some surprise and concern' that the area is not included among the Architectural Conservation Areas (ACAs) designated in Wexford's County Development Plan. However, Gem said it was 'even more extraordinary' that the nearest designated area 'terminates precisely at the point where The Faythe commences – as if to suggest, quite misleadingly, that there is nothing there in the townscape or architecture worth conserving'. 'It is not difficult to see that with increasing pressures nationally to meet current housing needs by developing land behind houses, the historical and archaeological interest of The Faythe is especially vulnerable,' Gem said. Residents fighting against the development in Wexford have criticised the decision to give approval, pointing to a planning report that warned the development would be 'crammed' into the old area. They say that the case raises legitimate questions over how older towns are developed amid the backdrop of the housing crisis. They are now seeking to acquire protected and conservation status for the area known as The Faythe. Planning permission Two years ago, Co Wexford-based developer Bawn Developments applied for planning permission to knock three houses for a block of apartments and 11 houses, and take green space as part of the grounds for the development. In late 2023, Wexford County Council initially granted permission despite 90 objections, but the proposals eventually ended up before An Bord Pleanála. The approval came despite an An Bord Pleanála inspector warning it would make for a 'crammed development', while an established architecture and heritage expert has said he finds it 'extraordinary' that the area is not designated with conservation status. The council has defended the plans as much needed for the area and to address the housing crisis in the county, where over 1,500 households are on the social housing list awaiting new accommodation. Advertisement Some of the locals alongside the mural to champion accordion player George Ross, who lived on the street. The three homes earmarked for destruction sit on the corner of the street and are approximately 150 years old. One house was previously a thatched cottage and dates back to the early 1700s. Then, in March, Bawn was given the greenlight to go ahead and knock the homes to prepare for development. This came after An Coimisiún Pleanála, formerly known as An Bord Pleanála, overruled its own inspector who had supported many of the community's concerns. A local community group, called Fight 4 The Faythe, has been established and has been holding weekly protests and marches against the development every week since. They have pointed to planning authorities description of the homes as habitable prior to being sold. When speaking to The Journal , Fight 4 The Faythe founder Sue Rea said that they would continue to oppose the development and hold peaceful protests over the months to come. 'We are in a housing crisis and this has to be acknowledged,' Rea said. 'However, surely town planners and those making planning decisions should be considerate of existing residents and provision of amenities.' What did the inspector's report say? In her report, inspector Angela Brereton warned that the site would make for a 'crammed form of development' if approved. 'It would not provide for a replacement building of exceptional quality that would have a positive impact on the visual quality and character of the area,' Brereton said in the report last November. She added that scrapping the existing houses and replacing them with the apartments and other housing would run contrary to objectives ranging from built heritage to sustainable development. Despite Brereton's issues with the proposals, the planning board overruled her findings in a 2-1 vote. Bye bye mural: the tribute to George Ross on No 94 in the process of being removed. For the past seven years, the corner had been marked with a mural of a former Fleadh winner and accordion player, George Ross, who hailed from The Faythe. That has been removed in recent weeks as the development got underway. In its response to concerns raised, Wexford County Council said that the homes were not Protected Structures and that the mural does not have planning permission. It added that the 'contribution the mural makes to the historic streetscape is entirely subjective' for onlookers. Wexford County Council and Bawn Developments were both contacted for comment and did not respond. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
