KILDARE: Changes proposed for Punchestown Racecourse

A number of changes have been proposed for Punchestown Racecourse.

Planning permission documents lodged with Kildare County Council show that the application has been made by the Blackhall Racing Company Unlimited.

The company intends to: excavation of circa 19,000 metre^3 of topsoil and subsurface material, which will be used in the construction of the permitted track extension (KCC ref 19523), and the creation of an underpass tunnel measuring four metres in width by four metres in height by 88.1m in length with the top of the tunnel six metres below the finished track level.

In addition, Blackhall Racing Co UnLtd intends to construct: a new section of internal ambulance road measuring four metres wide to link the tunnel into the existing ambulance road for a distance of 120m to the north of the tunnel entrance and 140m to the west of the tunnel entrance, as well as retaining walls to be constructed over a length of 114m at the southern tunnel entrance and over a length of 58m at the northern tunnel entrance on both sides of the new section internal ambulance road beyond the proposed tunnel entrance (the height of the retaining walls will be 1.5m above the minimum invert level in the underpass tunnel).

Permission is also being sought for associated surface water drainage infrastructure and all associated development works.

The overall application area is 1.04 hectares within the established boundaries of Punchestown Racecourse.

The date received is listed July 28 last, while the submission-by and due dates are listed as August 31 and September 21 respectively.

According to the business information website SoloCheck.ie, Blackhall Racing Co UnLtd was established in 1997.

It also trades as Punchestown Racecourse and its largest company shareholder is listed as Kildare Hunt Club Company Limited By Guarantee.