Litir Chumhdaigh
My name is Debbie Trundle and I am a resident and a regular user of the walking amenities in Naas Racecourse. I am also a regular driver on the Dublin road and all other roads around Naas.
The proposed construction of an inner relief road through Naas Racecourse is directly at odds with the plans to support the environment and biodiversity. This road will cause the loss of a valuable untouched green space which is currently used by walkers, joggers, dog walkers and families regularly. If this road goes ahead here, there will be an irreperable interference with the biodiversity of this area. The effects on wildlife, rabbits, foxes, hedgehogs, birds, insects, wildflowers, bees etc. will be catastrophic for this area. A main road through this green space would be a great loss to the town of naas.
The proposed road through Naas Racecourse will create a bottleneck crossroads exiting onto the Dublin road junction which intersects with the main Dublin road and with Monread Housing. This will stop the flow of traffic entering and exiting Naas at the ball roundabout due to time spent to allow traffic cross a 4 way junction.The time spent sitting here waiting for traffic lights will negate any time saved by bypassing the town. This inner relief road feels like a "quick fix" which will not solve the traffic issues when there is an increase in population in Naas. An outer relief road which joins the N7 would be far more preferable and effective in the long term.
If placemaking is meant to be people centred, how is it that the views of the residents of Naas are being disregarded in this decision about the inner relief road. The Naas Inner Relief Road was democratically rejected in 2019. The “Gallops Avenue” is an attempt to re-introduce it. The plan describes Healthy Placemaking , It is both a process and an outcome of creating communities in which people live, connect with each other, and engage with the physical place around them.
How hypocritical is that sentiment when residents of The Gallops housing area will be left looking at an 11 foot wall instead of the idyllic view of fields and mountains they paid for when purchasing their homes. The resale value of their houses will reflect the damage done by this road. The disconnect between the homes and the environs will be keenly felt by residents and their children, whose play areas will be completely, irrevocably altered by the proposed inner relief road.