UPDATE: LHD Action Group releases statement ahead of protest this weekend in Newbridge, County Kildare

The Lakeside Park/Highfield/Dara Park (LHD) Action Group has released a statement ahead of its planned protest this weekend in Newbridge.

The protest follows one that took place on Saturday, October 1, which was held in opposition to proposed modular homes for displaced Ukrainian citizens in Lakeside Park, Highfield and Dara Park (LHD).

LHD member and resident Tom McDonnell previously told the Leinster Leader that the group will continue protesting 'until we get it in writing that there will be nothing built on our greens.'

Now, Mr McDonnell has sent in a statement on behalf of the group to the Leader today, ahead of the group's latest protest.

He said that the protest, similarly to the one that took place last weekend, will begin at the basketball court in Highfield and will continue to the Main Street of Newbridge.

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'IT WILL BECOME PERMANENT'

In the statement, the LHD Action Group said that when it was first mooted, it (the modular homes) was a temporary housing solution for Ukrainian refugees.

However, they allege that these homes will become permanent housing 'in an amenity area for an ongoing refugee crisis.'

This allegation follows a post which was made by the group on its official Facebook page yesterday, in which they accused the government of lying about being unaware of flooding issues in the LHD area before the govt met with them last month.

They claimed that this information was discovered request made under the 2014 Freedom of Information Act.

The group also reiterated its ongoing concerns regarding an apparent lack or proper sewage and flooding infrastructure, something they claim has been going on for 30 years.

They added: "The local community will lose an amenity which is used on a daily basis, but also due (sic) to the lack of services within the wider community of Newbridge, such as lack of school places and doctors.

"It is important that amenities and other services be put in place before expanding the population of Newbridge."

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The upcoming protest will take place this Saturday, October 8, at 1pm.

Green Party Minister O' Gorman's Department (The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth) has said that the government has approved the development of up to 500 units of modular accommodation in different configurations over two phases.

It was also announced that final configuration of sites will be informed by further site evaluation and engagement.

Both phases of the project are expected to be delivered by the Spring of 2023.

In related news, Fianna Fáil Senator Fiona O' Loughlin has said that Minister O' Gorman will make a decision over proposed modular homes soon.