Plans for Naas lands 'premature' say council
Mill Lane, Naas
AN enthusiastic councillor was told he was “somewhat premature” in his desire to begin planning for the future of a parcel of about two hectares (five acres) of recently-acquired land in central Naas during the latest meeting of the Naas Municipal District.
Cllr Seamie Moore – who has been on this issue for at least a decade – had put forth a motion asking that: ‘The council invites submissions from Naas community groups on future development opportunities for the recently-acquired former McInerney lands, including the construction of a multi-functional community centre, in preparation for the creation of a masterplan for the site’.
The parcel of land is the other side of Mill Lane from DeBurgh’s, between Mill Lane Nursing Home and the canal, and is known locally as McInerney Lands – after the last builders to own it prior to their liquidation – and stretches for nearly 500m between the Abbey and Tandy bridges.
After 27 years of controversy, and adjacent lands already 11 years in public ownership, the transfer of the final two hectares was completed in April, hence prompting cllr Moore to push forward with preparations. However, his horses were held by district manager Eoghan Ryan in his formal reply.
“This motion is somewhat premature as the council is still awaiting Tailte Éireann to conclude the transfer,” he began. (Tailte Éireann is the state agency responsible for property registration.) “The solicitors [Lahart’s of Kilkenny] have advised that they will request Tailte Éireann to finalise as soon as possible.
“The site is zoned ‘F2: Strategic Open Space’, and community, recreational or sports buildings are ‘open for consideration’ in that zone. When the site transfers to the council, we will need to do a detailed assessment of the site, as well as a masterplan and landscape plan which could then consider the merits or otherwise of building on the site.
“The preparation of any masterplan will be contingent on the resources of the Parks and Recreation Department, and it will have to be factored into the work programme,” he warned.
“If the council advanced any pre-plan consultation at this stage, it may raise expectations without having a timeframe for completing the plans for the site in a timely manner,” he concluded.
Speaking after the March municipal meeting, cllr Clear had explained how it was McInerney land back in the 1990s, but “it went bust, and the government took it over”.
“They were unable to put anything in it, because there is an 80m set-back rule prohibiting development beside the canal,” he said. “The land is now going to the council and will most likely be used by the likes of the men’s shed, Tidy Towns or for allotments,” he said.
“But if you really want to know the background call Seamie Moore,” said cllr Clear generously.
For his part, cllr Moore explained to the : “The McInerney Lands go all the way from the old Convent of Mercy Secondary School beside the Abbey Graveyard, down behind the old gasworks and all the way along the canal for about 500m. It has two entrances: one off Mill Lane, and a second one, a gap beside Mill Lane Nursing Home.
“It’s zoned ‘Residential’ on the Sallins Road, but the back side on the canal side couldn’t be used for residential building because it had to be 100m back from a line in the centre of the canal,” he explained.
“We’d be looking for community development here, a community centre perhaps … but as I’m president of Naas Men’s Shed, I’d be hoping to get some land for them here, beside the women’s shed,” he said
“There’s room in there for a farm for retired animals, perhaps a maze; they could probably build a boardwalk over the swamp for ecotours to investigate the flora and fauna … not townie things, but somewhere a family could go and get lost for an afternoon,” he suggested.
“The gasworks is in private hands with a private residence on it midway between the bridges,” he explained. “And I’d like to see Waterways Ireland renovate the quay wall here to reflect the canal heritage of the area.”
