Laois residents 'afraid in their own homes' beside knocked house

Laois residents in a housing estate next to a site attracting trespassers are "afraid in their own homes".

A derelict house had been demolished in a large secluded site in Portlaoise, next to Beechfield housing estate on the N80 Mountmellick road.

It had attracted anti-social behaviour and trespassers for several years before it was knocked in 2021.

However the problem is still continuing, to the fear of neighbours who lie awake afraid of a fire.

They are afraid that fires being set illegally on the site will spread over the boundary to their oil tank.

Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald who had in April 2021 requested Laois County Council to enforce action on the owner of the then vacant bungalow, is now doing so again.

She made the case in a motion she tabled to the September meeting of Portlaoise Municipal District.

"Beechfield residents are afraid in their own homes of this site. The owner came and cleared it but now it's worse than ever. People with oil tanks can't sleep. Fires are being lit. Especially this summer the dry grass was ready to go.

"Planning permission is granted. I want to see this sorted once and for all. It has to be pursued. People that never ask me to do anything, are asking me one after another.

"They are absolutely terrified in the estate during the summer. I want to get planning enforcement to immediately act once and for all," Cllr Fitzgerald said.

Her motion was seconded by Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley.

"I have no doubt that residents have suffered down the years over the whole debacle. A blank site like that in the state it is in," she said.

Cllr Barry Walsh suggested that the planning enforcement section of Laois County Council be contacted.

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Cllr Fitzgerald had also requested Laois County Council to resurface the road in Beechfield.

In reply to Cllr Fitzgerald's motion, Planner David O'Hara said he would meet her at the location and examine the vacant site, while engineer Wes Wilkinson will meet her on site to examine the road condition.

The house was demolished in 2021 after Laois County Council contacted the owner Dysart Property Ltd, following Cllr Fitzgerald's motion. 

Planning permission was granted in 2019 by the council for the owner to demolish the existing house, sheds and part of existing boundary wall and then to build nine 4 bedroom houses in 2 blocks of 2 semi-detached and 1 block of 5 terrace houses, with new road access via Beechfield. Beechfield residents had objected to the plan.