Land in Delgany worth 6.5 million euro has come up for sale.

Green Party TD Steven Matthews requests for purchase of the land for restoration purposes.

Land in Delgany worth 6.5 million euro has come up for sale.

The land represents an opportunity to expand the Glen of the Downs, to connect with Kindlestown Woods, allowing for better protection and enhancement of the Glen of Downs as one of the few ancient Irish woodlands.

Green Party TD, Steven Matthews has contacted Minister Malcolm Noonan to access the opportunity to purchase the land ,197 acres, for nature conservation purposes.

He stated:

"There are many good people working in the Delgany and Greystones community who are seeking ways to protect nature and provide some natural amenities for residents and visitors and I would like to meet them soon to look at the possibilities for this site. 

 The area has seen huge increases in housing and population growth. I doubt there will any appetite or evidence to support zoning this land for housing. Therefore we should look at what this land or parts of the land could be used for to provide community gain and nature projection. 

The Greens fought hard to pass the Nature Restoration Law and that law has objectives for nature restoration in urban areas. Linking Kindlestown old woodlands to the Glen's old woodland and providing a safe ecological corridor through the area would be a good use for this land.” 

 - Green Party TD Steven Matthews comment on the issue.

In a joint statement, Greystones Municipal District Councillors have come together to advocate for the purchase of the land.

In a joint statement, several Councillors put forward positive points in favour of the proposal.

Cllr Tom Fortune, Cathaoirleach of the Greystones District stated: "I chaired a meeting of local Councillors. We believe that it is important for us to work together, to bring this land under public control. As our population continues to expand, we must ensure that we do everything that we can to promote wooded and biodiverse areas. Afterall, Wicklow is the Garden of Ireland. We believe that this measure would be widely supported by the public."

Cllr Lourda Scott, is a founding member of the Climate & Biodiversity SPC on Wicklow County Council. Cllr Scott has submitted a motion on purchasing the land with the support of multiple Councillors. This will be discussed at the September meeting of the Greystones Municipal District. Cllr Lourda Scott thanked her colleagues for their support in seconding the motion. She added: "Land like this rarely comes up for sale. It is in a prime location for our local environment. I have previously met with local environmental activists who have campaigned for a long time on preserving this natural green corridor to the existing Kindlestown Woods and Glen of the Downs areas. I want to thank them for all of their work in highlighting what  a vital habitat this area is and it's potential for the wider community. I will do my best to push for purchase of this land by the State. We are in a Biodiversity emergency and need to act now"

Cllr Orla Finn, is a passionate supporter of positive environmental policies. Cllr Finn outlined: "I believe that we need to emphasise the critical importance of preserving this land for future generations. This agricultural land potentially holds high ecological value. It could serve as a natural extension to the existing Kindlestown Woods and Glen of the Downs areas. These areas are a vital habitat for a range of wildlife species."

Cllr Louise Fenelon-Gaskin is also 100% behind the proposal to acquire the land. Cllr Fenelon-Gaskin added: "The proposed acquisition would align with the Government’s ongoing commitment to protect biodiversity, and promote environmental sustainability. This is also set out in the National Biodiversity Action Plan and the Climate Action Plan. As local Councillors, we believe that purchasing this land would support local and national climate goals by enhancing carbon sequestration. It would further support the area’s rich woodland ecosystems."

Cllr Stephen Stokes pointed to additional benefits of securing public land. Cllr Stokes stated: "We should explore the possibility of creating an additional amenity with this land. For example, this could include nature trails. Last year I visited the City of Bellevue in Washington, USA. The Deputy Mayor, Jared Nieuwenhuis, advised me that their Council is consistently seeking to acquire new park spaces, because that's what local residents want. I believe we should take a similar approach. Securing this land could serve as a positive template for other projects across County Wicklow."