Locals in Carrick on Suir say they won’t take a decision to use part of a popular park in the town for parking lying down.
It follows a decision last week by the majority of Councillors in the Municipal District to proceed to Part 8 of the Carrick Regeneration Plan.
Councillors David Dunne and Kieran Bourke opposed the proposals citing concerns over the plans for Sean Healy Park and the removal of parking in the town centre.
Local resident Mary O’Shea says there is huge opposition.
“We were absolutely devastated by the outcome of last Thursday’s meeting. We are now going to mount a legal challenge through An Bord Pleanala and we have engaged an independent planner.
“We really are determined that this won’t go ahead. We feel passionately about Sean Healy Park and we’re determined that it won’t be turned into a car park.
“We felt that three rural councillors were able to vote this proposed car park in and destroy it – they’re not even from Carrick on Suir and they get to have the say.”
Mary O’Shea went on to say that people in the area feel they are being overlooked in favour of visitors to the town.
She says while everyone is in favour of improving Carrick it should not be to the detriment of the people living there.
“We’re not anti-regeneration for Carrick on Suir – we’re all for the beauty of our town to be enhanced.
“But it seems to be all about the people that are coming here not the people that live here.
“We’re the residents that have to look out on all these caravans and camper vans.
“Why would you ruin such a beautiful scenic area in our town – its one of the nicest entrances to any town in Ireland and they just want to come along and ruin it.”
