Liscorrie Residents Association object to new link road
“We are incredibly concerned for the health and safety of our children”
The failure by Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien and Louth County Council to get Drogheda’s much needed Northern Cross Route project over the line continues to have negative impact on the daily lives of the people of the town.
The latest group to feel the effects of bungling officialdom are the residents of the Liscorrie and Rosehall housing developments on Drogheda’s North side.
Both of these residential estates are accessed from the Bog Lane which opens on to the Crosslanes road close to the notorious traffic blackspot that is the junction with the North Road.
The residents are angry because Louth County Council has awarded planning permission to Moffat Investment Holdings Limited to construct a new roadway and footpath at the bog lanes through Liscorrie which in effect creates a ring road which will join the Twenties and ultimately connect with the Crosslanes at the Moneymore junction – again adding to the existing traffic chaos.
The proposed new road is to provide access to an as yet unbuilt housing development on land between there and Moneymore that is currently inaccessible because the PANCR plan has fallen through.
Residents in Liscorrie say they are astounded by the Council’s decision to grant permission. They say it will undoubtedly create increased traffic chaos to the already congested Crosslanes.
Independent Councillor Declan Power says that he too is amazed at Louth Co. Council’s decision to allow this vehicular access and pedestrian link.
“Louth County Council received 43 objections for this planning application. Up to 517 houses will be built in the area, having received planning permission based on the PANCR getting the green light. There is already huge concern over traffic volumes with new housing estates popping up in the Ballymackenny area.
“The Government have continuously failed to provide funding for this significant development that will see up to 5,000 houses built and change the future landscape of Drogheda for the better” Councillor Power said.
“I spoke to the developers agents Brady-Hughes before submissions for this proposed new link road and I was told that this was going to alleviate traffic on Crosslanes. In my opinion though, the complete opposite is the case.
“In addition, we have the ambulance service rushing to the Lourdes Hospital at Crosslanes with life or death situations and a hospital car park that has over 1,000 cars each day to add to the traffic madness.”
Spokesperson for Liscorrie Residents Association, Margaret Hoey said they are bitterly disappointed by the decision of Louth County Council.
“… We are incredibly concerned for the health and safety of our children who play in the area, especially on our green spaces” he said.
“We have always taken pride on having one entrance in, one exit out. Having other routes in and out of the Liscorrie and joining other estates, is not acceptable.”
She added that Liscorrie Residents Association will be appealing the decision made by Louth Co. Council and will have that appeal submitted to An Bord Pleanala within the next few days.
Councillor Power (pictued above) said that in his opinion it is the lack of proper infrastructure that is causing the problem.
“I can’t understand why the Council didn’t encourage vehicular access at the Rosehall roundabout, close to retail parks and the M1 and begin the first phase of PANCR project that would send out a strong message to the people of Drogheda.”
“For Louth County Council to commit to the Government’s “Housing for All Programme”, they (The Government) need to provide the funding or insist that the developers fund the PANCR project.
“The traffic chaos and quality of life for those living in the area will only worsen if proper infrastructure is not there. Drogheda is being squeezed to the max and will continue to suffocate,” Concluded Cllr. Power.
