This article is from page 24 of the 2011-01-25 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 24 JPG
CLARE COUNTY Council yesterday denied allegations that a road through the Meadowlands estate in Miltown Malbay had been changed from a cul-de-sac to a through road.
The local authority is at present drawing up an architectural plan for the road which will see it be opened to through traffic. However, according to correspondence received from a number of local residents, the properties were purchased in 2003 under the condition that the road would remain a cul-de-sac.
According to Cllr Michael Hillery (FF), this change could lead to major safety concerns for the local residents.
“I am concerned about the safety of children in the area and the public safety in general at this road. This was to be a cul-de-sac and now it is to be the through road. It is of critical importance that this is looked at.
“This road is soon to be used for though traffic and we don’t want any accidents.”
According to Cllr Martin Conway (FG), a number of local residents claim to have been given assurances that the road would remain a cul-desac before they bought the property.
“I have been speaking to residents and they maintain that when they bought the houses back in 2003 it was stated that the road was a particular type of road,” he said.
“They contend that negotiations took place between the contractor and Clare County Council and it finished up with the road being classified as a through road which is very different from the road that they thought they would get.”
This was disputed by a spokesperson from the council who said that the road was always intended to be a through road by the local authority.
“We did have a meeting with the residents. As a result of this meeting we undertook to look at the road and see could we come up with a way of alleviating their concerns,” said engineer Stephen Lahiffe.
“It was always intended to be a through road, it was stated before the planning for that houses that it was to be a through road. We have not yet completed the road design for that road and we will engage with the residents again before that happens.”
Meanwhile, the local authority has been asked to look into a way of improving the conditions the old traveler halting site at Ballymacraven in Ennistymon.
The site, which is to become the new council chip dump, has been targetted by illegal dumpers in recent months.