December 2010
I am delighted to announce that the long awaited footpath from the Priory housing estate to the Main Drogheda road in Termonfeckin Village looks set to become a reality. I have been told by Louth County Council that investigative work is to commence on this project as soon as the recent spate of inclement weather permits. This will pave the way so that the missing section of new footpath can be built leading from the Priory housing estate to Termonfeckin village.
As a local councillor living in the area I have been in constant contact with the residents group of the Priory Estate and the residents of Termonfeckin whom have expressed their grave concerns to me about the dangers experienced by them at the Sheetland Road junction.
This junction is one of the busiesiest main arteries into the village, particularly from the M1 motorway, and Drogheda town.
The residents are all of the opinion that the council should continue the existing footpath from the Drogheda Road to the Priory housing estate to alleviate some of these dangers. I have stated consistently that this would be the minimum requirement to improve safety at this junction.
Unfortunately some of the developments that were granted planning permission in the recent past escaped the rigours of the County Councils planners, and estates were allowed to be constructed with a limited number of planning conditions attached to them. An example of this is in the village of Termonfeckin where the Louth County Council and the planning inspector from An Bord Pleanála refused planning at the Priory and the Spires housing estates. These professional planners later had their decisions over – ruled by the Board of An Bord Pleanála. The planning went ahead, unfortunately the County Council were left with no other option but to see that the developers concerned complied with and adhered to the few meagre conditions that An Bord Pleanála applied to these developments.
My consistent lobbying to Louth County Council to install a footpath along the public road adjacent to the development at the Priory Termonfeckin has finally paid off. The conditions of normal planning and road safety measures that were not part of any of the conditions of An Bord Pleanála applied to this housing estate, that is to build a footpath at this junction, are set to become a reality at last.
