Town water runs dry
MUCH OF DROGHEDA AND REGION WILL BE WITHOUT WATER FOR UP TO A WEEK
DROGHEDA’S ageing water mains system finally ground to a halt at the weekend – amid fears that it will take a multi-million euro project to permanently secure a supply in the future.
Last Thursday, a mainline supplying water to Staleen water treatment plant ruptured over four metres below ground at Roughgrange, Donore.
The pipe proved to be so old, spare parts had to be handmade to try and fix it.
But they all failed and that forced a specialist engineering firm to be brought in to try and solve the problem this week.
Efforts have been made to make sure a supply remains in place for Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital.
It was confirmed on Monday that it will be Thursday – at the earliest – before the system is restored.
PERMISSION has been granted for 133 new homes on the Marsh Road, despite concerns expressed by Drogheda Port that access to the development may impact on their own plans for the area and that it is a ‘ health and safety’ matter, given the proximity to the ‘Seveso’ site at Flogas.
The Flogas distribution facility is located on Port land and the Port company have had pre-planning discussions with Louth CC regarding the possibility of developing the remaining lands, and the former Maxol site, for key strategic port related developments on these lands.
‘ These lands present a unique opportunity given their existing ship berthing facilities, to attract large scale logistic operations to the area.
‘ The proposed development locates its access road junction at a location that will adversely affect the potential development of the Port company owned, Employment Generating zoned lands on Marsh Road. We believe this would be contrary to the proper planning and development of the area,’ they say.
Their submission adds that ‘ the access road (to the estate) simply turns into a residential cul-desac with no provision made to link the Mill Road/ Marsh Road lands to the proposed transport hub at Drogheda Train Station.’
They say that the road should lead to the Dublin Road where it would ‘feed into the Bryanstown Cross route which was originally planned to include a rail stop at Wheaton Hall.’
They also cite ‘emergency planning’ concerns, quoting ‘maximum potential blast radius’ in relation to the ‘Seveso’ area and ‘ loaded liquefied gas carrying vessels’ using the nearby terminal.
‘Serious consideration must be given to the overall management of the area in terms of emergency response, emergency vehicle access on an already constrained carriageway (east from Drogheda side), ability to evacuate the area is a safe and timely manner and general management of the area in what would be considered a major incident at either the facility or vessel alongside.’
They also say that although the land is zoned residential, it is located next to the municipal waste water treatment plant. ‘We would suggest that the site may not be suitable for residential development due to the negative impact of malodours on future residents.’
Boyne Grove Fruit Farms Ltd at Stameen also expressed their concerns, stating they wanted to see a 2.4m high steel palisade fence protecting their boundary as well as development of a road access.
The Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs also submitted an observation, stating that ‘no site preparation or construction work shall be carried out’ until after an archaeological report on the lands.
Brady Hughes, on behalf of Shannon Homes, referred to the Meath CC Local Area Plan for the southern environs of Drogheda and the objective to link MacBride station via an access road.
Louth CC planners say the development is in line with the objectives of the 2007 planning strategy and recommended acceptance.
The strategy includes ‘providing for a new bridge crossing to the east of Scotch Hall’ and to ‘secure an ultimate horizon of 65,000 population in the Drogheda Environs by 2024.’
The planning application states that ‘ongoing discussions’ are taking place with the housing/planning department in relation to Part 5 arrangements.