Community meeting to discuss rezoning of Mullingar's Kelly's Field

A community meeting to voice local concerns about the rezoning of an amenity area in Mullingar town to housing takes place this evening.

The meeting will be held in The De Courcy Suite of The Greville Arms Hotel, Mullingar this evening (Monday, August 11) at 7:30pm.

The purpose of the meeting is to inform local residents and users of Kelly's Field of the proposal and open discussion on the matter.

The organisers say they will offer support for anyone wishing to make an observation or submission in relation to a proposal to change it from the current designation as amenity or open space to zoning it for housing.

Kelly's Field is the green field area that backs onto Ballinderry Road, Lynn Avenue and Lynnderry Court. It has long served as an important public amenity for residents of Ballinderry, Millmount, Lynn, Ardmore Road, Newtown and surrounding communities.

Historically used for the Mullingar Area Community Games and Street League Games, the field is now a vital community space used daily for walking, running, dog walking, football, hurling, golf, informal sports, children's play, and quiet enjoyment.

Submissions previously made to the local authority note that Kelly’s Field is “one of the few remaining safe, enclosed, and accessible green spaces in the urban area”.

“In addition to its recreational value, Kelly’s Field is an ecologically and biodiverse rich space, supporting wildlife such as foxes, hedgehogs, and various bird species. The field is surrounded by mature hedgerows and grasslands and already functions as a valuable green corridor within the town,” one submission stated.

The Mullingar Settlement Area Plan proposes to rezone Kelly's Field, Mullingar, from amenity or open space to residential use. The closing date for submissions is 5:00pm this Wednesday, August 13.

The meeting organisers hope to encourage as many people as possible to have their voice heard on the issue.