Councillors say IDA’s ‘valuable public asset’ in Wicklow ‘should not remain underused for any longer’

By Hugh O'Farrell Walsh, The Wicklow People

District councillors in Greystones have issued a joint statement urging the government to transfer 27 acres of IDA-owned land, freed up by changes to plans for a major media campus, to Wicklow County Council for the provision housing and recreation.

The greenfield site had 44 acres earmarked for Hackman Capital Partners’s ambitious €300m Greystones Media Campus project.

However, last week it emerged that they were scaling back their project in light of changing demands within the film and television production industries.

With the development footprint being reduced, the total acreage needed is now just 17, with 27 acres set to be returned to the IDA portfolio.

In their statement, councillors say the IDA’s long-running attempts to secure enterprise activity on the site have not delivered results, leaving a major public asset unused, while local housing need in the district intensifies and community facilities remain under pressure.

They argue that continuing to reserve the land exclusively for employment use is no longer tenable, given the scale of unmet demand for affordable homes and the shortage of sports and recreational amenities across the district.

The councillors describe the land as “valuable public asset” that “should not remain underused for any longer”.

The councillors are calling for the land to be transferred to Wicklow County Council to enable what they describe as a “community-led, masterplanning process” that would prioritise affordable and cost rental housing, alongside new public sports facilities and open space.

An artist’s impression of the original plans for the Greystones Media Campus.

They say such an approach would allow the community to shape the future of the site directly, ensuring that development reflects local needs rather than the narrow remit of enterprise policy.

Their statement emphasises that the land should be developed as a “balanced community asset”, combining housing with amenities that would benefit the wider population.

They argue that unlocking the site would help address local housing need, support younger people and families who are currently priced out, and provide long term stability for key workers.

They also stress that integrating housing with recreation and open space would create a more sustainable and liveable neighbourhood than the type of single use development originally envisaged for the site.

The councillors also highlight the shortage of sports and recreational facilities in the district, noting that many clubs are operating at capacity and struggling to accommodate growing membership.

It is their contention that the IDA land could support new pitches, indoor sports facilities and accessible public open space, relieving pressure on existing amenities and providing long term community benefit.

While the councillors acknowledge the IDA’s role in seeking employment uses for the land, they argue that the agency’s efforts have not succeeded and that the community cannot afford to wait any longer.

The elected members say the land’s strategic location within a rapidly growing town makes it unsuitable for continued dormancy, and that a new direction is required to ensure the site delivers meaningful public value.

Their statement calls on the government, the IDA and Wicklow County Council “to work together to bring forward a plan that delivers lasting social and community benefit”.