Major New Development Planned for Lusk

*Published in the North County Leader.

An exciting proposal to relocate Lusk Utd Soccer Club and to build a new commercial development in Lusk is set to be submitted to the County Council.

The plan, which is being put forward by developers, McGarrell-Reilly Group, involves the moving of Lusk Utd Soccer clubhouse and pitches to a new area on the ring road of Lusk, and the building of a commercial development. 

Cllr. Tom O’Leary (FG) told the County Leader, “This new plan will include a new street, parallel to Station Road, linking civic spaces and about 220 residential units, which includes 106 houses, the majority of which will be 3/4 bedroomed houses."

"It will also include 96 Duplex houses, living over shop and 18 apartments. There will also be a large supermarket store, with smaller retail shops, both stand alone and street facing stores, approximately 15 in number. There will be a Gateway commercial unit at Redmount Roundabout and five services providers, incorporating office, banking, etc. Food and drink units, incorporating restaurant, café and Pavilion style kiosk buildings are included, as well as a Crèche,” he added.

This list is subject to change in response to market demand and is aiming to fulfill the local needs of the growing population in and around Lusk. An application for the lands is being prepared and should be lodged early in the New Year.

At a meeting in the town last Thursday, 9th December called by County Mayor Ken Farrell, local residents were given a presentation of the proposed new site by the developer, Alex Walsh and architect, Michael Crowe. 

Walsh told the County Leader, “ The proposed development will make it easier for local businesses to prosper as it will allow them to be concentrated in the one area. When people in Lusk go to do their shopping, they leave Lusk and shop in places like Swords and Balbriggan. This development will keep people shopping in Lusk. All the other surrounding towns in the North County have more facilities than Lusk, and we want to change this,” he said.

Local residents, however, have raised several issues with the development, including the lack of facilities available for children in the area such as playgrounds, and also questioned the need for a large shopping centre in Lusk.

Resident, Sylvia Caldwell questioned McGarrell Group’s plan, saying that their previous development in the area is still without important amenities for children. When Lusk Village was built, there was a proposed site for a crèche, yet this has never been built, also, in this large estate there is not one playground.”

Mayor Farrell said that the development is still only in planning application stage and is set to be submitted to the County Council early in the New Year. “My only position is to inform residents of Lusk that this application is being put forward and that we need to take their views into account in the next steps forward”, he concluded.