MOUNT AVENUE PLAN COULD FEATURE UP TO 3,000 NEW HOUSES
DEVELOPMENT PLAN COULD SEE POPULATION GROW BY 11,000 OR 30% OF CURRENT SIZE JANUARY 1999
THE development of the Mount Avenue area could result in 3,000 houses being built, putting tremendous pressure on the road network.
This emerges at a meeting of Dundalk urban council when the Mount Avenue Action Plan is formally adopted.
Town clerk Paddy Tierney points out it isn’t a plan for development rather a plan to guide development by individual landowners.
Cllr Noel Lennon notes that over the last 20 years most development is to the east and south of the town, and he welcomes the potential for this area, with a report saying it could cater for 3,000 houses and 11,000 people.
Cllr Séamus Keelan asks that on foot of the representations they receive through the public process are there any changes proposed from the original document, and chairman Cllr Séamus Byrne days there are not.
Concern is expressed by Cllr Jim Cousins about the exit as shown onto the Carrick Road, a very busy road. He asks it be widened.
Town engineer Dermot Agnew says the exit would be at Lisnawilly. Mr Tierney adds it may be necessary to look at calming measures there.
Cllr Pearse O’Hanrahan remarks a residents’ group in Mount Avenue in their submission say the road isn’t fit to take the traffic, and if construction traffic is going up and down there is going to be chaos.
They are going to have to get landown- ers to address this aspect. If permission is granted for 40/50 houses, construction traffic would just jam the road.
He continues two things in the plan which are not addressed are bottlenecks into town on Carrick Road and Castletown Road.
Mr Tierney recalls a proposal for a road linking the Ardee Road and Carrick Road is shot down by the council.
He adds he doesn’t know if the development of Mount Avenue will take place.
The chairman says in relation to a residents’ association submission regarding a cul-de-sac on the southern side, he believes it a reasonable approach on their behalf, and would like to see it incorporated in the report.
Cllr Keelan wonders if the proposed road to the Carrick Road is set in stone at this stage, and would the council construct it.
Mr Tierney replies if it is deemed there is a great enough traffic increase, this road would have to be looked at urgently to relieve the situation.
There is no timescale for it, but they would rather see the developers do the road.
Mr Agnew points out the area is forecast to cater for 11,000 people, and with development in the northern environs, this would increase Dundalk’s population by 30% to 40%.
However, he believes it would take ten to 20 years before these areas are built up, and in that timescale a lot is going to have to happen regarding traffic management.
The council formally adopts the action plan. Eight members are in favour. There is one abstention