GoFundMe appeal started to cover professional costs
The residents of Trinity Gardens and Georges Street were deeply disappointment last Wednesday when they heard that, despite their numerous objections, Louth County Council had decided to grant permission for a seven storey development of build to rent apartments overlooking their homes.
Five days later that disappointment has turned to anger which has galvanised their determination to stop this development in whatever way they legally can.
Over the weekend the residents committee contacted all of Drogheda’s Councillors and TDs and every one of them has pledged their support for the campaign.
After consulting their legal advisors they have decided that they have grounds to appeal the decision to An Bord Pleanala and are now gearing up to do just that. The initial plan is to engage the services of a planner to guide and advise them in their appeal.
They will of course incur financial costs and, because whatever funds they had have already been depleted by their earlier campaigning and lodging objections, they are appealing to the people of Drogheda to support their cause by donating to a GoFundMe appeal which they launched earlier today.
The Residents Association Chairperson, Teresa Kelly, told Drogheda Life that they need to raise €5,000 to cover the services of a planner and a lawyer for their appeal to have any chance of success in overturning this decision.
The one piece of good news in this whole debacle for the residents is that they have been granted an extra nine days to lodge their appeal. Normally the statutory time allowed is 40 days but that has been extended in this case because the Christmas break is right in the middle of that time.
In their letter to councillors the residents say they have always welcomed development on this site but that it had to be in keeping with the low rise and two storey dwellings in the area.
They point out that Louth County Council is now allowing the partial removal and re-building of the wall on the North Entrance of Trinity Gardens to allow vehicular and pedestrian access to the site, even though these walls are listed in the Louth County Development Plan as Protected Structures.
Ms McKenna told Drogheda Life that the mood had been downbeat at first but now they were a lot more positive having receives numerous messages of support.
She revealed that neither the developers, Urban Life Ltd., nor the Council officials had made any effort whatsoever to consult with the residents.
“The Council has held numerous meetings with Urban Life but they have never given us the opportunity to express our opinions” she said.
“Unfortunately Residents’ groups, such as ourselves, are never consulted and no thought is ever given to us ‘little people’ as to how large-scale over development of a very small site will impact local residents and communities” she said.
“I know it is a very bad time of the year to be asking people for financial support but this is our last chance to get this monstrosity of a development stopped.”
Please CLICK HERE if you’d like to see the residents have their right of appeal.
