€5m housing project an ‘expensive joke’

THERE is a good level of interest in the controversial €5 million Glaise na Rinne affordable and step-down housing development, this week’s meeting of Shannon Town Council heard.
Town manager Bernadette Kinsella told the meeting the 22 houses are going to cost a total €5.297m of public money to build, with the council and the Department of the Environment contributing.
In her report to the meeting, she stated some of the cost would be recouped in the event of the council deciding to complete the project by building 38 more houses, something that was envisaged as the second phase of the development. “In accordance with the design, planning and tendering proposals, the major infrastructural services for the development of the total 60 units were provided with the Phase 1 development. These include water and waste water services, roads and associated services. A proportionate sum of these costs will be recouped by the council in any further phases of development.
“The economic climate and market conditions differ significantly from those, which pertained at project planning and commencement stage. These changed circumstances account for a reduction in market value from approximately €170,000 per unit (three bed) to €93,000 during the course of the project.”
Ms Kinsella said that of the 16 affordable units, 14 applications for sale are being processed and that other expressions of interest will soon materialise.
She said three of the six step-down units are allocated and some should be occupied before Christmas.
Independent Councillor Cathy McCafferty queried if anyone in Clare County Council would be held responsible for the problems that have bedevilled the project. “When private developers failed there was no bailout but in a public body there seems to be a complete lack of accountability.”
Summing up, she was critical of how the project has gone since the start. “It was a joke day one and it’s still a joke. A very expensive joke.