The Haggardstown and Blackrock Community Forum have extended an open invitation for talks with the company behind plans for over 500 new houses in the village.
Glenveagh Properties, through its subsidiary Marina Quarter Ltd, secured planning permission from Louth County Council in December 2025 for a 502-home development in Haggardstown.
However, the project suffered a major setback in April when An Coimisiún Pleanála upheld an appeal lodged by Blackrock Tidy Towns and local residents against the council’s decision, ruling that the development would be “premature” due to deficiencies in the existing wastewater infrastructure.
Separately, the developer has initiated High Court judicial review proceedings challenging a decision by Louth County councillors to rezone lands in the Haggardstown and Blackrock area.
Against that backdrop, the community forum has called on Marina Quarter Ltd to meet with residents and discuss what it believes would be a “more suitable” housing model for the growing coastal community.
Forum spokeswoman Hermione Flynn-Rogers said the group has never opposed housing development in the area but has consistently raised concerns about the scale and density of the proposed scheme.
“We are not anti-housing at all, and we are asking if the company would be prepared to meet with us, as people who live in the community.”
She added: “People who live here know what the needs of the area are. We are appealing to this developer to look at the housing models which are needed in the village.”
“For example, there are a lot of ‘empty nesters’ or older people who have a large family home that they don’t need. They want a smaller home or a duplex, but they don’t want to leave the village which has been their home for so many years.”
The Blackrock and Haggardstown area is, she argued, “a very lucrative place to sell property” adding that a smaller number of homes “which are better suited to the needs of local residents” could be a viable solution.
“We are asking for a more positive and inclusive plan for the development of the village.”
The forum also responded to speculation that the developers had asked for a meeting with Louth County Council in relation to a large scale development.
“If meetings are taking place, why don’t they include representatives from the community, residents and people who know this area? We know that housing is needed.”
“We are asking for the developers to engage with us, and not just the council.”
She said the forum did have concerns about green areas being included in planning applications, but later being used to add on more houses or apartments within existing housing developments.
“We need more community and green spaces, not less. There is a huge demand for these as the number of houses grow.”
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme