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"Ill-informed"cllrs slammed by McKenny
ARDEE does not need ill-informed county councillors from Drogheda and north Louth voting on how the town centre should be planned.
Ardee Town Councillor Padraig McKenny this week slammed the system which allows county councillors to change the County Development Plan without consulting local people.
He was commenting on the decision by the 26 county councillors earlier this year to contravene the County Development Plan to allow a 43,000 sq ft store to be built at Cappockgreen outside Ardee.
"We don't need ill-informed councillors making decisions relevant to Ardee," Cllr McKenny said.
"We have councillors from Drogheda and Carlingford involved in decisions concerning Ardee and mid-Louth, when they don't know anything about the area.
"A decision is made by mid-Louth county councillors to push something through and this is supported by councillors from north and south Louth while people in the area concerned are not consulted.
"It's a case of you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours.
"A new local area plan for Ardee is now being drawn up and we should incorporate all proposed developments for the town into this.
"At the moment, half the people of Ardee are in favour of the super store on the edge of town and the other half are against.
"If a proper local area plan is drawn up for the next five years, with everyone involved, you will not have these divisions," Cllr McKenny said.
Several objections have been lodged with An Bord Pleanala against the proposed development by Ardee developers Eamon and Seamus Rogers.
Represented by Ballygowan Developments Ltd, Eamon and Seamus Rogers submitted a new plan to the council in January which was passed by 23 votes to 3. A previous plan had been rejected last year by just one vote.
Eamon Rogers said the new plan was a major development for Ardee and would create 100 jobs plus 60 extra jobs while it was being built.
He also said that Ballygowan Developments Ltd have also been given planning permission for office units and a light industrial park in the same area which would create 1,000 jobs for the Ardee area.
"We're willing to work and try and get Ardee back on its feet," Mr Rogers said.
However, Cllr McKenny said that while he admired the confidence that Eamon and Seamus Rogers have in the mid-Louth area, it's important to look at the town centre and develop it as well.
gene@dundalkdemocrat.ie
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Thursday 17 May 2012
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