Councillors gave a cautious welcome to what one of them termed a “watered down” plan for the regeneration of Battery Heights, at Monday’s meeting of Athlone Town Council.
Director of services Barry Kehoe explained that certain aspects of the original plan have had to be scaled back due to budgetary constraints, including hopes for a new primary school and additional housing for the area.
Instead, the possibility of extending the existing Dean Kelly school is being examined, while work is to begin on a new pedestrian bridge across the Roscommon Road, a new road to improve access to the community centre, the upgrade of laneways, and a number of landscaping and environmental projects.
Although he could not confirm how much funding would be available from the Department of the Environment, Mr Kehoe said the council would be applying for between €300,000 and half a million euro for the first year of the project.
The new proposals brought mixed reaction from councillors, who agreed that the council should meet with the Battery Heights Action Group in the coming weeks to discuss the long-awaited plan.
Cllr Kieran Molloy was first to offer his support, his verdict: “This is a start”. “The improved access to the community centre and remedial works will be of enormous help. I am delighted with how it is progressing. Some residents were unhappy with aspects of the original plans, but they will be happy with this. Any help we can give, we should,” he commented.
However Cllr Ray Lennon described the document as “watered down”, saying he was particularly disappointed that a new school is not an option, as locals had been hoping for a state-of-the-art school.
“This has been going on for so long we have forgotten the original plans. I am at a loss to see where we are now. I would like to think there was an acknowledgement of the original plan. Are we now looking at something new?” Cllr Mark Cooney wanted to know.
However Mr Kehoe explained that while the original regneration plans, drawn up during 2006/07, had envisaged substantial new housing, there was neither the demand nor the funding for new houses at present. Neither were any new school projects commencing, he said.
“The original plan did not get the support of the Department of the Environment. The plan has changed rather than been thrown away. We are going to improve the environment and expand community facilities, and the existing school site could be expanded,” he said.
Councillors also called for the clean-up of litter on the railway embankment in the area. “There is a major problem with serious litter by the railway, which is in the public view of people on the train coming into town,” pointed out Cllr John Butler.
