Lower Main Street to be refreshed

A refreshing of Lower Main Street will get under way in the coming month, following a meeting last night organised by Kilcullen Community Action, writes Brian Byrne.

A number of people who own property in the area attended, and it was decided that an independent expert will be asked to suggest ways of improving the overall streetscape.

But in the meantime, a major difficult area will be dealt with, the buildings owned by Sir Anthony O'Reilly on Hillside. 

Longtime Castlemartin manager Jim Kelly said the O'Reilly family are 'very conscious' of the 'nasty' state of the buildings, on a 4.5 acres site for which they had got planning permission but had not been able to develop because of Kildare County Council's failure to upgrade the Osberstown Sewerage Treatment plant, a condition in the permission.

He told the meeting that four years ago they had put a two-metre hoarding around the listed building because it was being constantly broken into and had become derelict. Kildare County Council had issued an order that it be closed off.

He suggested that the area between the hoarding and the wall could be cleared and planted, and that he could go ahead with that immediately, along with some other improvements. His commitment on behalf of the O'Reilly family was warmly welcomed at the meeting.

The discussions also considered a number of other 'eyesore' spots on the streetscape, including a derelict bungalow on Hillcrest, which is regularly the scene of anti-social behaviour by teenagers who access it from behind the Tennis Club. Celia Travers noted that the property has recently been put on the Derelict Buildings Register by Kildare County Council and the Council should now enforce the order.

Peter Moloney, who lives in the Millrace apartments, said there is a growing problem with anti-social behaviour by young teenagers gathering on the riverbank. He wondered if some kind of restricted access could be implemented at night-time.

The matter of the Square was also raised, with a number of people suggesting that it needed some change. The central flowerbed was described as of no value to the square environment. 

Parking was also discussed. Paul Carey said that parking is the single biggest issue for businesses in this part of town.

The meeting concluded with agreement that an independent expert be asked to look at the area and make suggestions that could improve it 'without involving major expenditure'.

It is planned to have another meeting in a month to consider the outcome of the survey and decide what further measures can be taken.



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