Kilcoole will have Town Square in New Plan

The north Wicklow village of Kilcoole is to have its own Town Square as part of the new development plan for the area which was passed by members of Wicklow County Council this week.

Kilcoole: more traffic and a village square

This addition to the original plan will come about following a proposal by Deputy Dick Roche who felt it was an ideal opportunity to provide a focal point in the centre of the village and local residents are enthusiastic about the idea.

`The Residents Association is also anxious that Lott Lane be upgraded and I feel it is the way we should go because it would create some much needed space in that area', he added.

He wondered if the amount of land set aside for industry was somewhat excessive when a lot of land for this purpose has been zoned just three and a half miles away in Greystones.

Both Councillors George Jones and Derek Mitchell felt that the new plan will bring more traffic to the village but it must be kept away as much as possible from the centre. They described the traffic calming measures placed in the village recently as `scandalous' but felt that the plan was an ideal opportunity for the Council to do a good job in Kilcoole.

Deputy Liz McManus said that as part of the long term objectives for Kilcoole, an extension of the DART to there should be in the plan while there should also be sufficient land for affordable and social housing as well as firm plans for future industrial development in the area.