Council asked to provide report on removal of hedge by developers in Newbridge

The Cathaoirleach of the Newbridge-Kildare Municipal District (MD) has called for a report from the Council on the removal of a hedgerow near the Belin Woods residential development site on the Athgarvan Road in Newbridge last year.

In a motion to the February meeting of the MD, Councillor Rob Power also asked the local authority to establish what work was agreed compared to what works were undertaken.

The Fianna Fáil representative also requested timelines of  the removal of the hedgerow and the reporting of this action to the council.

He also asked for details of engagements between the developer and council on the matter, and what lessons had been learned.

Parks superintendent Simon Wallace told the January meeting of the Newbridge Kildare Municipal District on January 19 that the original planning application for the development on the Athgarvan Road showed that the hedge would be retained.

In reply to a motion by Cllr Fiona McLoughlin Healy, Mr Wallace said that follow-up meetings were held with the developer Glenveagh Properties to ascertain why the hedge was removed and what was going to be done to compensate for the loss of the hedge.

He added: “Final draft proposals were discussed with Glenveagh in November and formal submission of these proposals is awaited. The replanting is proposed to be completed by the end of March this year.”

Mr Wallace said of the developers: “There was an issue with the hedge and they had to remove it. I think they took liberties in that case.”

Mr Wallace said he understood the hedge had to be removed because there was a planning condition to put in a cycle lane but there wasn’t sufficient space.

An original application showing that the hedge would be retained did not seem to accommodate the cycle lane.

He said that applicants are now urged to provide clear landscape plans to try to avoid situations like this in the future.