Council confirm receipt of bond for Beeches Estate in Boherbue

A CORK County Council official has confirmed there is finally light at the end of what has been a long and frustrating tunnel for residents of an unfinished estate in Boherbue.

The issue was raised in a motion by Cllr Bernard Moynihan (FF) chair of the Mallow/ Kanturk municipal district committee at its February committee meeting.

He requested an update on a planned site resolution plan for the Beeches Estate, that will see long awaited works to complete the estate finally completed.

In his reply senior council planner Andrew Hind confirmed the authority had accepted payment of an outstanding bond, which had been held by the Bank of Ireland, for the completion of infrastructural works.

Insurance bonds are a payment kept by financial institutions in the event of a developer going out of business. Should this happen, the bond was to have been handed to the council to cover the cost of completion works.

However, in certain well-documented instances the authority has encountered difficulties in getting these bonds paid out.

While details of the bond relating to the Beeches Estate were not disclosed at the meeting, Mr Hind confirmed that a payment had been accepted.

“We are now seeking to enter an arrangement with the owner of the site to implement a programme of site resolution works,” wrote Mr Hind.

It is understood the site resolution works will involve finishing roads, public lighting and sewers in the estate.

The news was given a warm welcome by councillors, with Timmy Collins (Ind) saying it was “not before time.”