Councillors seek date for Tradaree Flats demolition

THE Tradaree Flats are an eyesore, are being used for antisocial behaviour and should be knocked as soon as possible, according to Shannon town councillors.
At this week’s meeting of the council, Councillor Cathy McCafferty put forward a motion requesting that the council “be informed of a date for the demolition of the Tradaree Flats and that this site be kept clean and litter free until that date”.
In her reply, Fiona Mooney of the council’s housing section said that the council is still working towards getting the flats demolished.
“In anticipation of a positive response from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to the council’s submission for funding for the Tradaree demolition, the part 8 planning application for the demolition of the flats is being prepared currently with a view to placing the advert under the planning part 8 process next week. The public notification process takes eight weeks and a report will then be on a county council meeting agenda for the resolution of the council.
“In parallel with the statutory planning process, a contractor specification will be prepared to enable the works procurement to proceed immediately once funding is confirmed. The council will continue to respond to incidents of illegal dumping and littering at the flats. Any assistance members of the public can give in identifying the perpetrators of dumping is requested.”
While Councillor McCafferty said she was fairly satisfied with the response, she said she had a similar motion down last year but the situation hadn’t advanced much.
She said that several people had contacted her with concerns about the flats. “During Christmas I was contacted by many residents who were worried about the numbers gaining access to them, despite them being boarded up.”
She said that firm dates should be provided and that getting rid of the flats shouldn’t be so complicated.
“Surely the cost of demolishing them and planting grass isn’t insurmountable in this day and age.”
Councillor Gerry Flynn said that people living nearby were concerned about anti-social behaviour. “A lot of the residents there are quite elderly and they’ve been there since the late ’60s or the early ’70s,” he added.
Councillor Patricia McCarthy was critical of the fact that no date for demolition was available. She said that restrictions on entry to the flats weren’t up to scratch. “They are accessible and there is anti-social behaviour going on there.”
She said it was understandable that the flats could have slipped down the list of priorities due to the flooding and severe frosts, but she said that once the cold snap ends, they must be top priority.
Councillor McCarthy said that even if there wasn’t a date available for the demolition of the flats, the least people could expect was that they be kept clean and tidy.
There is a safety risk attached to the flats, said Councillor Tony McMahon.
“There’s a very significant health and safety aspect to this. It’s possible that a young person could go in and light a fire or fall out of a window. They should be made entirely secure,” he claimed.
Councillor Greg Duff said that allowing such a complex to decline leads to higher levels of anti-social behaviour and that the demolition of the flats had to be a priority.