The fact that six years have passed since funding was announced for a much-needed Regeneration Scheme for parts of Navan doesn’t augur well for the original budget, given the huge rise in building costs in the interim.
Aontú Cllr Emer Tóibín says.
“The government announced €7.66 million in funding to redevelop the Flowerhill area in Navan under the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) in 2019, but little progress has been made. Parts of Flowerhill in Navan have struggled with dereliction and decline for decades, and the community was promised a transformation.
Despite this, there has been very little visible or tangible progress on the ground which is really both staggering and very disappointing. Once again, the hard-pressed taxpayer will be hit by the jump in costs which is completely unacceptable. I simply cannot understand how six years have been allowed to elapse without a real dent being made in the scheme.
While it’s true that Covid and its aftermath slowed progress on many capital projects, the fact remains that very little visible or tangible work has taken place on the ground in Flowerhill.
An Urban Design Plan, shaped by public consultation, was developed to guide this regeneration, but residents are still waiting to see meaningful progress.
Given the sharp rise in construction and materials costs in recent years, this funding will no longer stretch nearly as far as planned. I sincerely hope that the four key components of the scheme will not be compromised because of this run over.
These are crucial components that have the potential to really transform this part of Navan. The Flowerhill Regeneration Scheme, led by Meath County Council, aims to breathe new life into Flowerhill and Abbeylands through:
Public realm upgrades – new paving, lighting, street furniture, trees, cycle lanes and safer pedestrian crossings.
River Park development – opening up public access to the River Blackwater and linking to the wider greenway network.
Redevelopment of derelict sites – acquiring and remediating vacant buildings to create new opportunities for housing, business and community use.
Active travel infrastructure – improving pedestrian and cycle connections between Flowerhill, Abbeylands and the town centre.
That said, there has been a small but welcome development. I have received confirmation from Meath County Council that Navan councillors will be presented with a Part 8 planning application in February next year for the pedestrian and cycle connections between Flowerhill, Abbeylands and the town centre.
That’s a positive step forward, but the broader project urgently needs to move beyond the planning stage. Costs have risen dramatically since 2019, and unless momentum is maintained, the original funding will fall far short of what’s now required.
This project has the potential to transform a neglected gateway into Navan, but delivery has to be accelerated before costs and dereliction worsen further.
This would be terribly unfair on the people of Navan and the taxpayer”.
