Development hopes for historic Kildare Wonderful Barn

The Office of Public Works should be involved in the future development of Leixlip’s Wonderful Barn building.

That is the view of Cllr Joe Neville who asked for an update on plans for the historic building and its surrounds on July 19.

In a response from Simon Wallace from Kildare County Council’s Parks Department, the members of the Celbridge-Leixlip Municipal District committee were told that Ardstone Homes had contributed €350,000 towards refurbishment work at the Barn area.

Mr Wallace said “it is hoped to develop and implement a programme of works to achieve this aim in the coming years.”

Cllr Neville said the €350,000 contribution was news to him.

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After the meeting he told the Leader that they had always hoped for big plans for the Barn area, perhaps for leisure or community facilities.

On land  beside the Barn, which also houses numerous gardening allotments,  work has begun on the construction of 450 residences, following the rezoning of land for housing in 2002.

Cllr Neville said he did not know, yet, how the money would be spent and added that the former Leixlip Town Council had put aside €100,000 of its funds towards the development of the Barn. He said he believed that the Office of Public Works would be a good body to be involved in the development of the Wonderful Barn. It had a good record in managing such historic properties.

The Barn area is currently well used.

There is space for up to 60 allotments and the area has been well used by the Leixlip St Patrick’s Day Committee.

Former county councillor, Anthony Larkin,  and former Town Councillor, Denis McCarthy, have been involved in running events there under the auspices of the St Patrick’s committee, one of them for which 1,300 people were registered to attend.

Mr Larkin said he was aware of  a “significant contribution” from Ardstone, which no longer owns the land. That is now being developmed by Glenveagh.

Mr Larkin said they have run treasure hunts and many other school and community activities at the Barn area.

He also said while the area has suffered from some anti social behaviour, security has  improved.

Traffic lights are planned for the entrance of the area and Cllr Neville believes it would be good if some arrangement should be made for a public road from the Celbridge road, Leixlip, from which the Barn is accessed, to the Celbridge Interchange, via the current private land on the former HP site, as a private road already exists. It would prevent traffic going through Castletown estate in Leixlip.