Major Ballagh rally against public realm plan takes place today

A major rally opposing the council's public realm works in Ballaghaderreen takes place today, Sunday, at 3.30 p.m. in The Square.

The public rally organised by the local business community is intensifying the opposition to the regeneration works which are proving highly controversial.

Local retailers are fiercely opposing the public realm works, claiming up to 70 street parking spaces will be lost around the town.

Negative impact on trade, on the ability for residents and shoppers to park conveniently, and on delivery and other vehicles trying to negotiate the new layouts are among the fears being expressed locally.

Business people are also raising safety issues, claiming the new footpaths and kerbing are coming out too far, leading to carriageways being too narrow for some vehicles. There is a further concern about a plan under the scheme to permanently close the road in The Square running alongside the bank and other businesses.

There is a widely held belief in the town that there wasn't sufficient consultation in advance of this multi-million euro Part 8 project getting the go-ahead.

The depth of feeling towards elements of the plan has been evident for some time, with more than 500 local objections submitted when the original planning application was lodged by Roscommon County Council.

Council officials have recently met traders, who still want a significant revision of the scheme, which was approved by the local authority.

While the public realm works have yet to be fully completed, local retailers say they are feeling the effects, claiming there is already a loss of footfall coming into Ballaghaderreen.

In a recent statement, the council said the €4.5m project aims to “provide a coherent, attractive town centre and approach roads to make the town attractive to live, work, visit and do business in”.

The council said the current town centre was vehicle dominated with limited provision for people to enjoy the town centre while going about their business. The local authority outlined that the plans would result in the loss of approximately 47 parking spaces in the town centre including about 24 from the town square.

“There is off street parking in Ballaghaderreen including in the currently underused Plots carpark off Barrack Street (current capacity 72 spaces).

“The project was informed by public consultation that culminated in the statutory planning consent process known as the Part 8 planning process,” it said.

Local retailers and residents have been staging daily early morning protests this week in a peaceful show of opposition to the public realm works.