Judicial review may affect €1 million house raffle to benefit three Kildare sports clubs

Sections of Clane community are in talks to see if a compromise is possible whereby local sporting clubs could hold a fundraising raffle with a prize of a detached house in a new development.

However Clane Community Council has applied for a judicial review against 91-home Hamilton Park being built by local developers, Westar Developments Ltd.

Westar has offered a free three-bedroom house worth over €400,000 as the prize in a proposed fundraising raffle to benefit three busy clubs: Clane GAA, Clane United AFC and Clane RFC.

Sources said the raffle could raise up to €1m which would be divided among the clubs to improve facilities.

However the Community Council believes the 91 homes would contribute to “significant overdevelopment of our town with all of the problems that this would cause to existing and future residents of Clane.”

The Community Council has also applied for a judicial review of a Strategic Housing Development by Westar for 333 homes in the town as well as a proposed development by Debussy Properties Ltd.

The Community Council said its Sustainable Clane Judicial Review campaign has raised over €31,000 of a target of €40,000 which will fund the legal challenges.

A spokesperson told the Leader: “The Community Council has been willing to meet and speak with anyone who has asked to discuss these issues with us and in the last few months we have met with both Westar Developments and Debussy Properties.

“We explained our concerns about the overdevelopment of Clane in general and the implications of these developments in particular.

“We have recently met with representatives of three local sports clubs, the GAA, Clane United Football Club, and Clane Rugby Football Club to hear about proposals for a fundraising raffle involving a house on one of the proposed developments currently under judicial review. We have agreed to further meetings in the coming weeks.”

AGM

These issues were also discussed at the Community Council’s AGM on February 7 which was attended by newly elected members and by local residents.

Will Fadden, Director of Operations with Westar, said the company had gone through the full rigours of the planning process with Hamilton Park and was granted permission by Kildare Co Council.

He said that extra housing units in the Clane area are fully provided for in the County Development Plan.

He told the Leader: “I’m not criticising the Community Council. The’re entitled to do what they’re doing and I respect their role. They believe they have the best intentions for the town.”

He added: “We’re here to talk with everybody on the issue and I hope things will progress in a positive way.”

Speaking about the proposed raffle, Mr Fadden believes that new or improved facilities for the three clubs would give immediate benefits to the growing local community.

Mr Fadden said that a website set up in December to register interest in the development has received 226 names of potential buyers so far.

He added: “A lot of them seem to be locals from the surnames, so it shows the need for local housing from people living in the area.”

Clane United AFC said it has had discussions with the Community Council and talks are ongoing.

Club secretary Derek Byrne told the Leader: “It’s a very interesting proposal if it comes to pass.”

Mr Byrne said Clane United would use any fundraised money to refurbish dressing rooms, resurface the car park and erect flood lights on the main pitch to bring it up to the best standard.

He added: “We will have to carry out this work anyway one way or another and would have to fundraise for it ourselves.

Facilities

“We’re a growing club with 400 playing members and we need better facilities. ”

He continued: “The Community Council are very important custodians of the Clane community and the protection of the quality of life in the town. We hope there will be a compromise.”

As talks continue between all parties, the Community Council reiterated its view that extra homes would put enormous pressure on local transport infrastructure and public services.