People living in unfinished housing developments all over Clare can expect that their estates will be properly completed and maintained into the future, according to Clare Fine Gael TD Joe Carey.
Stating that there had already been significant progress in tackling the most acute cases, Deputy Casey said that the recent allocation of €437,114 from the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government would allow Clare County Council take charge of eleven housing estates accounting for 207 households throughout the county.
The estates to be taken in charge by the council are Power’s Court and Ardmore,Tulla (40 houses); Riverside Court, Conroadmore, Ennis (39); French Court, Conroad, Ennis (32); Hillcrest, Ennis (20); Woodview Heights, Sixmilebridge (17); Woodview Park, Ennistymon (13); Chapel Court, Sixmilebridge (12); Dolmen Village, Ballyvaughan (12); Ros na Greine, Shannon (10); Aisling Court, Cratloe (7) and Castlecourt, Cratloe (5).
The work will also be financed by €192,969 funding from Clare County Council and €15,346 in bond money lodged by developers.
Further consultation will be required between the Department, Irish Water, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Clare County Council before €238,151 in provisionally approved funding can be drawn down for work at Ballymulcashel in Kilmurry which is served by infrastructure provided by the developer.
Explaining that the decision to provide funding for local authorities to take charge of housing estates was taken after a national survey established there were 5,655 completed developments not taken in charge, Deputy Carey said this was a legacy of the ‘boom and bust’ experience of the residential construction sector over the past 15 to 20 years.
“This left considerable issues for households in developments that would previously have been taken in charge in the normal way. There has been significant progress in tackling these most acute cases, providing for the completion of the majority of unfinished developments.
“The funding will also help develop more efficient approaches to local authorities taking charge housing estates. Prior to the construction boom and subsequent crash, local authorities usually would either take an estate in charge (including roads, footpaths, water services etc) or could be requested by residents to do so once a residential estate was complete.
“However, where work had not been completed to satisfactory standards, there were sometimes delays in the taking in charge process as enforcement proceedings including the calling in of bonds can be complex.
“The latest round of funding is an important milestone on the road towards all residential developments being taken in charge by local authorities”, Deputy Carey added.