Fight for Castletown: ‘The community spirit out here, it’s just incredible’

On Thursday afternoon, Ross Kelly is taking a moment at the Celbridge Gate entrance to Castletown House and Parklands, in Celbridge, Co Kildare.

“Well done,” a woman says, passing by Kelly on her way into the estate.

Kelly, dressed casually in a T-shirt and Levi’s, thanks her. “It’s not over yet, it’s not done yet. But we’re making progress.”

Over the past week, Kelly – who has lived in Celbridge since 2012 – inadvertently became the spokesperson for Save Castletown, a campaign sparked by a disagreement over access to the estate, and subsequent actions taken by the Office of Public Works (OPW).

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After the OPW – which maintains and operates the publicly owned part of the historic demesne – was unable to reach an agreement with private landowners for the provision of vehicular access and use of a car park off the M4 motorway, the authority moved to install new parking facilities.

On Friday evening, the OPW announced that the estate and car park would remain accessible via the M4 until at least September 29th, following an agreement with the landowners.

Killross Properties, along with another Kildare-based developer, purchased a large parcel of land – which includes the main vehicular access route to the estate and a 200-space car park – immediately adjacent to the Castletown House estate earlier this year. The State did bid for the parcel of land but ultimately failed to purchase the site.

Killross Properties has since alleged that vehicular access to the site was previously facilitated by means of an informal agreement. The developer claims that efforts to formalise the licensing agreement broke down in July when the OPW refused to commit to installing public lighting along the M4 access route, and the existing car park.

The developers stated that, as a result, its insurance providers would not provide cover for the road and car park in question. Because of this, Killross says it is no longer in a position to facilitate access to the estate.

Killross has also alleged that the existing car park is an unauthorised development.

The OPW said on Friday that it was aware of the claims made by the developers, but said it “does not intend to comment” on them.

From last Monday, residents of Celbridge and other towns in north Kildare and west Dublin gathered at various entrances to the estate, carrying hand-painted “Save Castletown” placards and protesting the OPW’s plans to build the “temporary” car park on a green area within the estate.

Residents quickly voiced concern over the impact that a new car park would have on rich biodiversity at Castletown and on existing traffic issues in the town of Celbridge. The protests received considerable attention and were covered by the national media.

On Wednesday night, after what Rosemary Collier, the assistant secretary general and head of heritage at the OPW, described as “robust and positive engagement” with the local community, the plan for the new car park was dropped.

[ ‘Emotions are high’: Kildare locals concerned over development of lands at Castletown House ]

Initially, Rosie McGuire was relieved when she heard the news. “I’m delighted because this has already been tarmacked, so at least there’s not going to be a destruction of nature,” she says, walking up the main avenue of the estate on Thursday afternoon, towering lime trees on either side.

McGuire has recently moved to Celbridge. Having Castletown on her doorstep was a deciding factor in moving here, she says.

Kelly says: “I haven’t seen Ireland to be a place that’s very concerned about environmentalism and biodiversity, compared to other countries. But the groundswell of passion around the topic as part of this campaign has been really inspiring.”

“The community spirit out here, it’s just incredible.”

For Kelly – and other locals – the fight for Castletown has reached a critical juncture. Securing the future of the entire demesne – in all its historic and ecological importance – is the goal.

“All that’s been achieved so far is just that they’ve agreed not to build a car park. But this was never about a car park. This is about uniting a 500-year-old demesne ... that’s what people want to happen here,” Kelly says, walking through a secluded area of the estate.

The OPW said on Wednesday evening that it is receiving legal advice regarding the possibility of securing a compulsory purchase order on the privately held lands connected to the demesne. The authority noted that the CPO process is “legally complex” and can take “a considerable amount of time”.

The OPW has twice approached Killross Properties to purchase part of the private-held land, the developers have claimed, but negotiations to date have been unsuccessful.

Killross has stated that it “never intended and will never promote the use of the land at Castletown for housing”.

“The owners purchased the land with the intention of bringing forward uses which are in line with the current zoning on the land and with full regard to Castletown House and Demense. The uses envisaged include leisure, amenity, recreational, tourism, and employment uses,” a spokesperson for the developer said.

The OPW and Killross Properties remain in negotiations. Although the estate will remain accessible from the M4 until the end of the month, questions remain over what will happen beyond that.