COUNCILLORS IN CO Meath from Government and opposition parties voted against the development of 79 social housing homes in Ashbourne today.

The council’s development submission was turned down in a split vote.  While three councillors voted for the development (Fine Gael’s Suzanne Jamal, Independent Joe Bonner, and independent Amanda Smith) three councillors voted against it (Sinn Fein’s Helen Meyer, Fine Gael’s Alan Tobin, and Conor Tormey of Fianna Fáil).

As Tormey is the chair of the Ashbourne Municipal District, his vote was the deciding one.

Speaking to The Journal today, he explained that as the director of a local estate agents, DNG TormeyLee, he has seen that there is a “pressing need” for affordable housing in the area, and that in his view a mixed development or an affordable housing development would serve the area better.

“Young couples can’t get on the property ladder so it’s a big issue in Ashbourne,” he said.  “I see first time buyers getting outbid on the market all of the time; it’s so unfair and we aren’t doing enough for them,” he said.

Sinn Féin councillor Helen Meyers said that she also voted the development down as she would prefer to see a mixed development.

“If the council cannot build affordable housing on council-owned land, then where can affordable housing be built?  I am regularly contacted by people who earn too much to qualify for social housing but not enough to afford a house. 

“The majority of first-time buyers fit that cohort, and they are being forgotten about,” she said. 

Meyers added that she knew a local man had turned down a job with a good wage because it would see him taken off the social housing list.

 It’s understood that Meath County Council officials told councillors that, due to the price paid for the site by the council – which cost in excess of €3.4 m to acquire – it would not be a suitable site for affordable housing,

Over 200 submissions were lodged against the development, which was to be called ‘Archers Glen’, and would have consisted of 41 two bedroom houses with 34 one bedroom apartments.

The development was under a section of planning law that meant that the local authority could proceed without engaging with the community, which was part of the Government response to the housing crisis in 2023.

Residents of the nearby estate Ashewood Green have previously said that a social housing development nearby would “devalue” their homes as they would become “clumped in with social housing”. 

Independent Meath County Councillor Nick Killian told The Journal that though Ashbourne is outside of his immediate electoral area he is disappointed in the decision made today, as he believes there is a real need for social housing in the area.

“I’m extremely annoyed and upset. I have many people coming to my office who are looking for social housing, and this would be a suitable area for them.

“They’ve deprived people of the opportunity to secure housing through this development,” he said.  In April 2023 there were nearly 4,000 social housing applicants seeking housing in Meath, with the highest numbers being in Navan and Ashbourne.

549 applications were for housing in Ashbourne, with the biggest need being for one or two-bedroomed housing units.