09/06/2025
Email sent to all our local councillors this evening. This is a chance for Ashbourne residents to stand up to Meath Countt Council and demand affordable housing. There has not been one opportunity for people to purchase affordable homes here. Meath County Council don't want to know. If this is something dear to your heart please get down to library at 10am Tuesday top floor and support your councillors
Subject: Ashewood Development – Upcoming Vote & Continued Community Concerns
Dear Councillors,
On behalf of the Ashewood Residents Sub Committee, we would like to express our sincere thanks for your efforts and engagement with the community regarding the proposed development at Ashewood, Ashbourne.
We fully appreciate the pressure you are currently under in the lead-up to the upcoming vote, and we commend you for the principled stance many of you have taken to date. We write to you now to encourage you to remain steadfast in your support of the concerns that have been raised by this community and to vote against the development in its current form.
Let us be clear: we are not opposed to housing. In fact, from the outset, we have actively encouraged the development of housing in Ashbourne. We are acutely aware of the housing crisis facing Ireland, and we recognise the urgent need for solutions. However, this is not solely a crisis of social housing—it is a crisis that affects all sectors of society: those on the social housing list, those seeking affordable housing, and those striving to purchase private homes. Any solution must reflect the diversity of our communities and be built in accordance with government guidelines, including those on appropriate tenure mix.
The only requests we have made, and that you have echoed on our behalf, are that the proposed development addresses genuine safety concerns and adheres to national policy on tenure mix. These are not unreasonable demands—they are responsible, community-focused principles that aim to foster a sustainable, inclusive neighbourhood for Ashbourne.
We are deeply concerned by the narrative being promoted by some officials, including Meath County Council, which seeks to frame community concerns as obstructionist in the face of a national emergency. This is misleading and, frankly, disheartening. The community is not the barrier here. The Council’s unwillingness to amend the proposal in line with reasonable, widely accepted planning principles is at the heart of this issue.
We were particularly discouraged by recent remarks made by Senator Sharon Keogan on this matter. Her comments appear to dismiss the lived experiences and perspectives of the local community—despite not engaging directly with residents. Her advocacy for what seems to be a mono-tenure estate appears more aligned with political point-scoring than with sustainable, inclusive urban planning. It is widely acknowledged that mono-tenure developments can, in the long run, disadvantage the very individuals they aim to support, often leading to social exclusion and stigmatization.
We believe that future developments in Ashbourne should reflect the diverse makeup of our town and serve all residents, irrespective of background. We want to reiterate that we stand behind the councillors who have thus far supported a more balanced and fair approach. You have our full backing and respect for the integrity you’ve shown.
We urge you to continue representing our concerns, and we sincerely hope you will vote against this development in its current form, in favour of a better, safer, and more equitable solution for all.
Warm regards,
Ashewood Residents Sub Committee
