Council faces €2.4 million bill to rebuild 16 vandalised homes

Ploughing €2.4 million of government funding into rebuilding social houses in Ahascragh, many of which were vandalised by tenants, will not solve the current crisis, it was claimed at Monday’s meeting of Galway County Council.

Cllr Tom McHugh was personally involved in the construction of the homes at Bridge Court in 1984. “When we left that estate, they were occupied by people from the Ahascragh catchment area, to young people who were delighted to get them,” he said.

They had solid fuel ranges, were insulated to requirements, and had solid wood window frames, he added.

“It was a lovely estate of houses but, over a period of years, a certain element – similar to Gilmartin Road (in Tuam) – got one, two, three (houses) and, eventually, took over. There was blatant vandalism, they took out the ranges, copper piping, took out everything saleable, and left them in a mess.

“Then the Department (of Housing Planning & Local Government) comes along and gives €2.4m to begin procurement and a design process. This is Gilmartin Road all over again, if the advancement of housing in this county is going to progress we have to have a different thought process.”

At Monday’s meeting in County Hall, Councillors had been advised that Stage 1 approval had been granted for 16 social houses at Bridge Court, Ahascragh, at a cost of €2.44m.

This will involve the demolition and construction of ten units, and the refurbishment of six.

The circulated monthly management report stated: “The approval will allow the Council to commence a procurement process for the appointment of a design team to advance the project.”

Cllr McHugh made his comments on the allocation following a presentation by the planning department about a ‘Vacant Site Register’ being established, in line with requirements under the Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015.

Valerie Loughnane had told members that the primary focus of the measure was not to further tax people, but to incentivise the development of vacant sites in urban areas for housing and regeneration purposes.

“The levy mechanism is an important tool for planning authorities to address this,” she added.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.