KILDARE GENERAL, 21 October 2002: A proposal by Cllr John McGinley which has been unanimously accepted by Kildare County Council will allow General Development Levies to be revised in order to cater for the provision of children’s and teenagers’ playgounds such as the one in Newbridge (above).
The motion took advantage of Section 49 of the 2000 Planning and Development Acts which permits Local Authorities to impose levies for specific purposes. The passing of Cllr McGinley's motion means that levies will be imposed, for the construction of such playgrounds, on planning permissions granted for houses and other developments throughout the county. It will ensure that lack of funding can no longer be used as a reason for not building playgrounds.
Council officials are to come back to the council members on the level of levies to be imposed.
In proposing the motion, Cllr McGinley stated that one of the biggest flaws in the development of County Kildare has been the failure of the council to provide playgrounds for our children and teenagers. As a result the fastest growing county in Ireland had no playgrounds until this year, with the exception of the excellent facility in Newbridge.
“Other counties perform much better, with Donegal having seven children's playgrounds,” he noted. “The facilities that exist in Newbridge must be provided throughout the county.”
The Development Plans for Maynooth, Leixlip and Celbridge call for such facilities to be provided and in the case of Maynooth Cllr McGinley insisted that two sites be identified for playgrounds - at the new 53 acre public park at Carton Avenue and in the Harbour Field.
