Residents unhappy with work
RESIDENTS in the Stamanaran housing development are planning to take legal action against the developers of the supermarket and retail units at the former Fairways Hotel.
The residents, who have engaged a solicitor, are now considering seeking a judicial review into the planning process surrounding the granting of planning permission for the large scale retail and residential development.
East Coast Catering Ireland, run by Dundalk-born, Canada-based businessman Patrick O’Callaghan, with local engineer Denis Williams as managing director, paid €2.5million for the 5.8 hectre site, including the former Fairways Hotel, in 2015.
Work began on clearing a portion of the site at the end of last year and residents in Stamanaran have been dismayed to discover the impact which the building work is having on their homes as construction work progresses the supermarket which threatens to over shadow their homes.
Five houses in particular are affected as the supermarket will only be 3.5m from the wall at the bottom of their gardens, while the retail units will be a mere 1.5m from the boundary.
The scale of the development means that those properties will suffer from loss of direct light due to overshadowing, especially in the winter months, with their gardens being overlooked.
Residents are concerned that the value of their homes will be affected, as there houses were built before planning permission was extended, having originally been granted in 2010. Plans to build a bingo hall and creche have since been dropped.
The residents have also complained that construction work on the site is starting earlier in the morning that allowed and continues later in the evening.