They want to put an amusement arcade in the Castle Mill Shopping Centre – Are they mad?

Sinn Féin in Balbriggan stands with the local community in opposing plans for an amusement arcade in the Castle Mill Shopping Centre.

The company 1800 Flowers Ltd of Kildalton, Pilltown, Co Kilkenny, has recently submitted a planning application to convert unit 5 of Castle Mill Shopping Centre into an amusement arcade and it is planned that the arcade would be open from 10 am to 11 pm every day.

Sinn Féin in Balbriggan is 100% behind the residents and businesses in the area who have submitted objections to this proposal.

The area around the shopping centre is a relatively new community and is highly populated. As with many new communities in Ireland a lack of good planning has led to a lack of resources for young people and this in turn has led to instances of anti-social behaviour.

Local residents and community Gardai are working hard together to combat this anti-social behaviour and progress is being made. However, the placing of an amusement arcade in the Castle Mill Shopping Centre will be a disaster for the local community. It will no doubt act as a magnet for anti social elements from right across a very wide area and this will without doubt cause problems for many local residents.

The planning application has stated that the arcade will employ security staff between 6 pm and closing. This itself is a clear admission of the problems associated with amusement arcades. However, will these security staff help the local residents in the area when the kids are hanging around across the street or down the road? No.

The decision on the planning application will be made on 3rd August. If it is approved then there is a further 4-week period in which an appeal to that decision can be made.

We in Sinn Féin say that the council must reject this application now and if it is not rejected then Sinn Féin will assist the local community in mobilising opposition to the opening of the arcade. If the council planning department refuses to make the correct decision, then the local community must help them see that local people will not put up with such nonsense.

As a next step in that process Balbriggan Sinn Féin is sending a letter to the company that owns the premises stating that we will actively oppose the opening of the amusement arcade and we will help to organise pickets etc.