Council may demolish estate
The Sli Corglass Ghost Estate. Photo: Joe McDonagh.
Almost all of a half-finished housing estate in north Longford may have to be bulldozed because of public safety fears.
Only two residents currently occupy houses from almost 20 units that now makes up the near-deserted Sli Corglass estate at Moyne, Co Longford.
Developed during the 2007-08 period, just as the construction boom was beginning to wane, almost all of the estate’s two storey dwellings have remained idle ever since.
Cllr, Louis McEntire said the situation has become so grave, passers-by and locals were starting to voice their own feelings on the subject.
“Those houses are deteriorating so fast that it’s an eye-sore,” he said, when asking about what plans the council might have regarding the estate’s long term future. “The general public are beginning to complain.”
Having previously been highlighted by the Leader as part of a ghost estates study in 2010, examining the fallout from Ireland’s building collapse, Sli Corglass has also courted national attention.
Nearly three years ago, it featured in a special ‘Ghost Land’ production on RTE television.
The following year, Department of the Environment officials handed down just over €36,000 to Longford County Council to carry out public safety works on the development.
Despite substantial work, including fencing and other improvements, having been carried out, this week council bosses conceded bulldozing may have to be considered.
“The developer is no longer there,” said Terry Rooney, senior executive officer. “We are in discussions with the banks and it’s just one that we will keep under review. Demolition may have to be the ultimate decision taken.”
Cllr McEntire replied by asking whether the council would consider offloading the empty units at rock bottom prices before sending in demolition specialists.
“Could you (Council) sell them off at a nominal fee instead of them standing there for years? You are throwing good money after bad if you just leave them there. There is a customer out there if you are selling things cheap.”
Further discussion as to the future of the Sli Corglass site is expected when the council holds its next county-wide unfinished estates review.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Weather for Longford, Ireland
Sunday 19 May 2013
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 9 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 8 C to 17 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North west
