Call for a safe pedestrian link in Redhills

The Redhills Regeneration Plan was highlighted at the Bailieborough Cootehill Municipal District meeting by Cllr Stiofán Conaty (SF), who asked the executive to engage with the group and act on the needs of the village.

In raising the motion on Monday afternoon, he passed on information from the Redhills Development Association for the need for a pedestrian link between the village and the church, school and community centre.

He described the village as one of the “most picturesque” and “well kept” areas in Cavan and in all of Ireland. However, Cllr Conaty said those living there feel “forgotten and neglected in terms of funding”.

The community is “banding together and putting the case forward” for the need for housing, and the pedestrian link between the village and to its key community hubs including the school, the afterschool, the montessori, the church, and graveyard. The 1.2km stretch is currently inaccessible on foot due to lack of footpaths or safe walkways”, he outlined to the meeting.

A letter read out in the chamber stated that the Redhills Development Association understand that a project of this scale would require capital investment.

“However it is our duty to formally highlight the urgency of this issue and to request that it be incorporated into future infrastructure planning and funding considerations,” Cllr Conaty read out on behalf of the group.

He described the area in need of a pedestrian walkway as a “serious safety issue” and asked that it be incorporated into future plans.

Area Manager Clinton Mulligan said the executive “will of course” work with the association where possible, however he said it would require “significant investment”.

Asked by Cllr Conaty if there was funding available, Mr Mulligan suggested a “discretionary fund” or that the MD’s “own resources” be used.

“We don’t have any money available for large scale projects,” said Mr Mulliga, adding that Cavan County Council committed to apply for Active Travel funding for Redhills, which will be submitted this year.

Director of Services Paddy Connaughton tempered expections saying “in the short term, we don’t foresee the funding”.

“There’s a lot of money to be found there,” he continued, giving an on-the-spot estimate that you “could be talking half a million” for the works that are being requested.