This article is from page 18 of the 2011-11-22 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 18 JPG
PUBLIC lighting is required to curb anti-social behaviour in unfinished housing estates in Clare, a meeting has heard.
The problems faced by residents living in unfinished housing estates was raised at the November meeting of Clare County Council.
Cllr Crowe called on the council to put a system in place in the event of developers of unfinished estates going into liquidation. The Sixmilebridge councillor stated that where estates have not been taken in charge, the Council should arrange for public lighting to be switched on in the interest of “public safety and to protest against anti-social behaviour”.
Cllr Crowe told the meeting that something has to be done for residents of unfinished estates; many of whom he said are “completely in limbo”.
Cllr Crowe said the chances of these estates being taken over as “unlikely”. “We have to start looking beyond the rules and regulations”, he added.
Cllr PJ Ryan (Ind) said there are going to “major problems” in unfinished estates.
Cllr Cathal Crowe (FF) said the lack of public lighting is condemning residents of some estates to “months of darkness”. He said unfinished estates “cultivate and environment for anti-social behaviour”.
He said the council must “aggressively pursue developers that are still trading”.
Cllr Gerry Flynn (Ind) called on the council to compile a list of all unfinished estates in Clare.
In response, acting director of services, planning, land use and transportation Nora Kaye stated, “While there is merit in the above proposal, the reality is that the council’s resources are extremely limited in respect of taking in charge of housing estates. The provision in this year’s budget for the taking in charge process is € 55,000 for the county. With escalating public lighting costs, I do not consider that the Council is in a position to arrange for public lighting to be switched on and / or for the ongoing maintenance and energy costs of same”.
Ms Kaye continued, “The Department of Environment, Community and Local Government has been requested to consider funding proposals for a small number of estates where due to special circumstances of those estates, the public lighting issues are unlikely to be resolved in the short term. On a receipt of reply from the Department, I will update the Council further”.