Business

Row over alleged trespass on lands earmarked for data centre resolved amicably

Dispute centred on a 2.5-acre site known as the Bracetown in Clonee,

Stephen Moran BL, for the plaintiffs said that following out-of-court discussions, the matter had “resolved amicably between parties who are neighbours.”. Photograph: Bryan O'Brien

Aodhan O'Faolain
Thu Mar 21 2024 - 20:06

A dispute over an alleged trespass on lands in Co Meath earmarked for a proposed data centre has been resolved “amicably”, the High Court has been told.

Earlier this month, siblings Bernard, Lorcan, Nicola and Patrica Ward, the owners of a 2.5-acre site known as the Bracetown, in Clonee, secured a temporary injunction against Mannix and Shelia Coyne who live near the property.

The order, granted by Mr Justice Mark Sanfey, prevented the defendants from entering into, accessing or placing their animals on the Ward’s property.

It was claimed that the defendant’s alleged actions put at risk a commercial agreement, the terms of which are confidential, to sell the lands.

READ MORE

As part of that arrangement, the Wards agreed to hand over vacant possession of the lands by the end of March.

The defendants alleged actions were preventing the owners from being able to do that, it was claimed.

When the matter returned before Mr Justice Sanfey on Thursday, Stephen Moran BL, for the plaintiffs said that following out-of-court discussions, the matter had “resolved amicably between parties who are neighbours.”

As part of the settlement agreement, counsel said, the parties had agreed that the court could make permanent orders requiring the defendants not to trespass on the lands, and that they would not place their animals on the property.

Mr Justice Sanfey welcomed the settlement and agreed to adjourn the matter generally with liberty to return before the court should the need arise.

Previously, the court heard the property in question had been the subject of a planning permission obtained by a company called Enginenode Limited for the construction of a data centre, part of which will be built on the site.

The Wards claimed that the defendants, who were opposed to the data centre, had placed horses on the plaintiffs’ lands without permission and had alleged some sort of proprietary interest on the property.

The court heard that the defendants no entitlement to the lands in question.

The Ward’s father, who had previously owned the property, had granted Mr Coyne a series of grazing licenses in respect of the lands.

However the last such agreement expired in 2021.

It was claimed that Mr Coyne had continued to place his horses on the lands and had refused to remove them.

It was also claimed that Mr Coyne and members of his family had unsuccessfully opposed the application for planning permission for the proposed data centre.

He had also sought to have the grant of permission judicially reviewed by the High Court. That action was rejected by the Court last year.

LATEST STORIES