A residents association in Ballymahon is accusing Longford Council of a potential "act of aggression" in a row over the development of a car park at the rear of Supervalu in the town.
The residents association in Sli Na Mona claim the development doesn't fall under the criteria for a Part 8 planning application, and will create a traffic hazard.
The decision to develop the 30 space car-park at the rear of Supervalu in the middle of Ballymahon town was approved at a local authority meeting on the 8th of July this year after public consultation under the Part 8 planning regulations used for council led developments.
It's to alleviate the loss of 25 on-street car-parking spaces due to the new Ballymahon streetscape plan.
The residents in Sli Na Mona say they don't believe the project falls under exempted Part 8 development, as well as claiming that it will leave no proper car parking for four of the households, and will endanger public safety by creating a traffic hazard for school children and elderly residents who use the footpaths there.
They also point out that traffic accessing the car park via the estate will enter from the N55 and say this section of road already backs up constantly due to the build-up of traffic caused by vehicles attempting to enter onto the main street of Ballymahon.
However in a submission as part of the planning process, Transport Infrastructure Ireland expressed no concern.
A notice posted on the wall in the estate which the council plans to demolish in order to gain access warns that "any attempt to dismantle, remove or interfere with the wall from either side will be regarded as an act of aggression against the local residents and that any such act will be resisted.
It's understood that work was due to begin on the access lane this morning.
