Severe lack of community facilities in Johnstown criticised

The provision of recreational facilities for a fast-growing area of Navan were at the centre of a call for prioritisation of the project by a councillor at a meeting of Navan Municipal District Council.

Sinn Fein Cllr Eddie Fennessy said that there was a severe lack of community facilities in the Johnstown/Athlumney area A playground and sports facilities should be provided within the Farganstown development site North of the R153 Navan-Kentstown Road. This should take place immediately after the construction of the LDR6 road, he said.

Cllr Eddie Fennessy with his son Ned.

“These facilities would be located on land directly owned by Meath County Council within the site or as a condition for an y future private building developments given approval”, Cllr Fennessy said.

Council officials said that in recent years it had tried to provide a playground in the Johnstown area. It had had discussions with representatives of the People’s Park to locate a playground in this area but these plans had not come to fruition.

There had also been a plan in 2019 to locate a playground in the Johnstown Wood area. This had gone to the planning stage but the councillors rejected it.

The officials added that within the Farganstown development, 80+ accommodation units were to be built and play equipment will be incorporated into that. On privately-owned lands at the ssame site, 400+ units were being planned and incorporated into this will be a neighbourhood centre with a community/sporting facility. Cllr Fennessy was also told that on the completion of the private development, the Grandbrind Athlumney Ltd would transfer 1.69ha of open spaced to the council for recreational and community use.