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Westbury divided over controversial housing charge

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Residents in one of the largest housing estates in the Mid-West look set to be divided over the payment of the controversial €100 household charge.
The Department of Environment has confirmed that residents in Bruachlan and Carraig Midhe in Westbury will be exempt from the charge because they are living in “unfinished” housing estates. Other exclusions include Churchfields in Clonlara and Shantraud Woods in Killaloe.
Last night, the Deptartment of the Environment announced a list of housing estates in Clare that will be exempt from the new household charge. These estates have been classified as of a certain ‘unfinished’ condition.
Councillor Pascal Fitzgerald, who tabled a motion about the issue at a council meeting on Monday, said residents in one part of the Westbury estate will be exempt while others will be expected to pay even though Clare County Council hasn’t taken the estate in public charge.
He argued either the whole Westbury estate should be exempt, or else the council should proceed with the takeover and, if necessary, obtain the necessary funding from the Department of the Environment.
He said it is unfair to expect some residents who have to put up with poor public lighting, pot holes on the road and poor infrastructure to pay the household charge.
Having discussed the issue of unfinished housing estates with newly-appointed Housing Minister Deputy Jan O’Sullivan over the Christmas period, Councillor Fitzgerald noted the minister was aware of issues in Westbury.
In addition to having another meeting with Deputy O’Sullivan and Clare Labour Deputy Michael McNamara about unfinished housing estates, he also plans to arrange a meeting between the minister and some of his council colleagues.
Councillor Cathal Crowe stated the household charge would be used to fund local authorities but Clare County Council has not taken over the Westbury estate and do not deal with any road, lighting, water or sanitary problems that the estate encounters.
“This became farcical following the heavy freeze and burst water mains crisis of January 2011. Some homes in the Westbury estate had to do without water for up to three weeks because Clare County Council personnel were not authorised to deal with such matters in an estate still in the private ownership of a developer.
“Construction of the Westbury estate began in the late 1980s but even the oldest avenues of the estate are still considered to be the responsibility of the developers. This is an unworkable situation and needs to be urgently addressed.
“The estates of Ballyglass, Keelgrove and Parkroe Heights in neighbouring Ardnacrusha are in a similar situation,” he said.

 

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