Fingal County Council has been prohibited by the High Court from building its £10 million administrative offices block in the Town Park in Swords, Co Dublin, until statutory proceedings extinguishing public rights of way in the park have been complied with.
The President of the High Court, Mr Justice Declan Costello, said the council's plan to build its new headquarters on two-thirds of the park had been challenged by a Swords resident, Ms Gwen Smeltzer.
He said the new offices would deprive the people of Swords of the Town Park and most or all of the amenities which were opened in 1986, and would deprive the public of the use of the pathways.
Mr Justice Costello, in a reserved judgment, said the lands had been acquired for the purpose of developing a town square and the council had decided they would be used as a public park.
He held that in doing so the council intended the pathways would be dedicated to the public for its enjoyment indefinitely.
Ms Smeltzer accepted these rights could be extinguished and the judge prohibited the council from carrying out its proposed developments until the statutory proceedings relating to the extinguishment of a public right of way had been complied with.