Coyle warned on traffic concerns for Tayto Park hotel plan by officials
Samantha McCaughren OFFICIALS from Meath County Council raised concerns with Tayto Park founder Ray Coyle about how a proposed hotel linked to his theme park would impact on traffic in the area.
During a meeting with officials, Coyle spoke of a second roller coaster and the potential future development of the attraction, outlining the possibility of a music event taking place in 2019.
Minutes of the meeting show that Coyle sought the meeting and expressed disappointment that an application in May for the hotel had been withdrawn. However, he “emphasised he was committed to building a hotel and sees it as an essential element of the park”.
However, senior council officials said the main issue to be addressed in the new application would be how increased traffic would be managed, particularly at the N2 Curragha junction.
They told Coyle that major structural improvements in the area would be some years away.
Any new hotel plan would need to show how traffic could access the premises without adding to capacity, said officials.
Planners for Coyle undertook to give this consideration in a future application.
The minutes, released under the Freedom of Information Act, show that Coyle enquired what planning issues and licensing would arise for a music event, which might be held in 2019. He was told that generally a licence is required when attendance numbers exceed 5,000.
Coyle “pointed out that there would be a lot more than that in the park on a typical day anyway”. He asked if this would be taken into consideration when deciding if a licence was required.
However, he was advised to come back formally when he had more information, but that he should work on the basis that a licence would be needed.