LOCAL RESIDENTS IN PROTEST OVER WORKS ON THE MARSH ROAD
LOCAL residents on the Marsh Road have said they are concerned that what they claim is a public right of way which has been in existence for decades could be closed off as part of new fencing in the area.
Residents say the right of way from the Marsh Road to the former Rowing Club boathouse has been used by members of the public for close to 100 years and said it must be retained.
A protest took place at the Marsh Road on Monday afternoon followed by a public meeting to discuss the issue that evening.
Local Councillor Frank Godfrey said he has spoken to a number of local residents who are very upset at the possibility of the right of way being lost.
‘Drogheda Rowing Club was built in 1878 and the public has been using the site continuously since then, if not before,’ he said.
‘How can Louth County Council officials in Dundalk tell us that there is no evidence of a Right of Way? Local residents here know that their families have been walking along the river here for generations,’ he said.
The councillor also criticised the timing of the works, claiming it may have disturbed wildlife which would currently be nesting. Following a number of inquiries in relation to the work in the area by local representativies, Louth County Council (LCC) said that following a recent site inspection of the land at Marsh Road by LCC officials a warning letter was issued to EJ Doherty Ltd (landowner) to request the removal of waste, including asbestos, from the site. EJ Doherty Ltd subsequently contacted LCC and gave an undertaking to remove the waste.
The council also revealed planning permission to erect a fence around the perimeter of the site was granted in 2015 and EJ Doherty Ltd has recently commenced the work, with the remaining waste to be removed on conclusion of these works.
Commenting on the situation, the Chairman of Louth County Council, Councillor Paul Bell, said he has spoken to senior officials in the council about the activity on a large site east of the river viaduct and also about old McMahon’s yard on the Marsh Road ‘in an effort to address the anxiety being experienced by some residents living in close proximity of the area’.
‘I can confirm the site being cleared and fenced off east of the viaduct is in response to Council’s complaints about the condition and of the site, and public safety as the site was open to members of the public. I can also confirm that no planning application has been made to LCC for development of the site or any other site along the riverbank east or west of the viaduct.’ Bell also said that due to the proximity of the sites to the Flogas facility residential development of any kind is not permitted and planning applications in the past have been refused.