Unfinished Laois estate homeowners' 'frustration and disappointment'
Residents in a Laois Celtic Tiger housing estate left incomplete since 2011, feel "frustration and disappointment" at further delays.
The Glen, Kilnacourt in Portarlington is a mix of apartment blocks and houses, with some of them left unfinished for years after the boom burst.
Portarlington Graiguecullen Municipal District Cllr Aidan Mullins levelled criticism at the March meeting of the district. He had tabled a motion asking for an update on the council taking The Glen in charge.
The council planners had replied that the developer Patrick Fadden Le Monde Holdings, "is in the process of preparing revised 'as built' drawings and updated CCTV for the Glen in Kilnacourt".
"These will be done in the next two to three weeks. The developer has also been advised of repairs required to footpaths and road surfaces in a number of areas. Once the above items have been addressed, we will be in a position to progress the taking in charge," planner Evelyn Brownrigg stated.
Cllr Mullins expressed the frustration felt by homeowners.
"I want to register the frustration and disappointment of the residents. This estate was largely finished in 2011. There is a very active developer but the whole process was not managed correctly, he was allowed to drag it on.
"It is so frustrating for the residents' committee. It seemed to be at the end of the road nine months ago when the contractor was to be on site to complete works on the pumping station, followed by other minor works.
"The station is finished now but not the CCTV or footpaths. We expected those works to be done last summer.
"Now a further application is in for Glen apartment blocks. I'll be keeping an eye on it," Cllr Mullins said.
Laois County Council planners are considering an application to add another 44 apartments and 16 houses to The Glen, with a decision due in April. Read more above.