Councillors push for acquisition of Kinnegad Tanyard site for housing

A long-derelict industrial site in the heart of Kinnegad should be acquired and redeveloped for age-friendly housing, town-centre parking and improved access to Main Street, councillors urged at the December meeting of the Mullingar Kinnegad Municipal District.

Cllr Denis Leonard said the old Tanyard site, which has been vacant for decades and has become a magnet for fires and anti-social behaviour, represents “an ideal opportunity” for the town. He called on the district to begin the process of seeking to acquire the lands and to draw up a comprehensive redevelopment plan.

“Right in the middle of town the Tanyard is,” he said. “It offers access into Tesco, backs on to Main Street. It was always the long-term plan of this council to have an access road running straight into Tesco and across Main Street. It’s ideal for age-friendly housing and town centre car parking. A whole load of things could happen on that site, and it has lain in complete abeyance for probably 30 or 40 years.”

Cllr Leonard said the derelict factory building, which contains asbestos, has seen multiple garda call-outs, three or four fires in the last year and “near accidents with young people playing on it”.

He argued that Kinnegad, designated an age-friendly town, suffers from a severe shortage of suitable housing for older residents. Redeveloping the Tanyard, he said, would allow older people to downsize into the town centre, freeing up larger homes in the rural hinterland, where a housing shortage is also acute.

“If this site goes to a private developer, it’s gone forever,” he warned. “This is an opportunity site, and we should seize it.”

Cllr Niall Gaffney strongly backed the proposal, describing the site as “slap bang in the middle of the town” and “screaming out for attention”.

“When it comes to the walkability of Kinnegad, this is the most obvious thing in the room,” he said. “It is crying out to become age-friendly housing. All the infrastructure and amenities are around it. It’s a brilliant motion and a no-brainer.”

District officials confirmed that the Housing Section can prepare an appraisal for the site, including a site visit, valuation and feasibility study.

Director of services Deirdre Reilly said the council is “very well aware” of the potential of the Tanyard and noted that it had previously been included in an economic feasibility study.

“It is a site that, if it came on the market, we’d be 100% looking for,” she said. “But it comes with its own problems in the fact that it’s a contaminated site and would be expensive to remediate. Still, we would be happy to progress this with Housing and reignite discussions with the owner.”

The mayor, Cllr Mick Dollard, said he believed the motion should now be forwarded to a future full council meeting for further consideration.

Cllr Leonard welcomed the support from colleagues and officials:

“I accept the response. I look forward to the appraisal being carried out as soon as possible and to seeing the project brought back before the district.”