Councillors band together to save Westport green area

A much-cherished community green area in Westport has been saved after councillors banded together to ensure that it wouldn't be zoned for housing.

The four Westport-based councillors, Brendan Mulroy, Christy Hyland, Peter Flynn and Johnny O'Malley tabled a Notice of Motion at Monday's meeting of Westport Belmullet Municipal District in Carratigue stating that the proposed housing development at Springfield Drive not go ahead and a larger affordable housing project be constructed at Monamore in the town instead.

The discussion was opened by Cllr Mulroy who said Springfield Drive was an integral part of Westport life and the council should never have identified the green area for housing.

“The people of that area have played an instrumental part in the story of Westport and as a community they minded and cared for that green area. The youth in the Quay area have played football there for generations and a lot of the lads who started playing there were part of the team that won the FAI Junior Cup in 2005.

“Springfield Drive was one of the first properly-planned estates in Westport like Horkan's Hill, McConville Park and St Mary's Crescent and we cannot now come in and take the heart out of it. We won't let that happen. We need to send out a message to the people of Springfield Drive who have contributed so much to Westport that their green area is secure now and into the future.

“We have looked at other venues for an even better, bigger affordable housing project and the site in Monamore will provide that on a green-field site,” Mulroy stated.

His comments were backed up by Cllr Hyland who asked if all green areas in the town were now in danger of being built upon.

“Does this mean that every time we have a housing crisis we'll build on any green space. Will we put an apartment block on The Fairgreen? We need to stop and think. We have to develop housing in an effective manner and there is another option here.”

Cllr Flynn said a new housing project at Monamore would develop more affordable housing units than the proposed one at Springfield.

“We need a significant number of affordable houses and we need to start thinking of big numbers. That's why Monamore makes much more sense than Springfield. The Monamore site is ideal and will be welcomed across the board while any development on the Springfield green area would take away a well-used amenity which is central to the community.

“We need to develop more and more affordable housing in Westport and across Mayo. The Department of Housing is always talking about social housing and of course that's important but there needs to be balance and we need to provide proper housing stock for people in the mid-range bracket.”

The final speaker was Cllr O'Malley who said building on any community green area solved nothing and went against everything the council should be doing.

“The Monamore site will provide more houses and the people of Springfield Drive won't have to worry any more about losing the green area that has always been a central part of life in their community.”