Some dissatisfaction from residents over Kiltimagh plan

The new Kiltimagh local area plan, which has proved controversial at a number of stages, was finally given the goahead this week at the monthly meeting of Mayo County Council. Its passage through the various stages up to now has been rocky with a number of issues holding it up. At Monday’s meeting, the plan was proposed by Cllr Eugene Lavin and seconded by Cllr Joe Mellet. However Sinn Fein councillor Gerry Murray put forward a counter proposal to have a constraints study carried out on the link road in the town that is included in the plan, following representations from a number of constituents in the area. Cllr Murray asserted he was able to call for the constraints study as the council had included in the County Development Plan an objective to upgrade the road in Kiltimagh to a national primary route, and because of that a constraints study should be carried out on the road. However Cllr Murray’s submission was refuted by the council executive which asserted that the link road would only ever be a local road under council control, not a national primary route under the control of the NRA, and no constraints study could be carried out on the road. After a lengthy debate between Cllr Murray and the council executive, the motion was carried as proposed and seconded.