Concernsraisedaboutthe worksatKilbrideLane
ONGOING works at Kilbride Lane are the ‘elephant inthe room’, said Cllr Rory O’Connor at a recent meeting of Bray Municipal District. ‘We need to find a solution,’ he said. A spokesman for residents of Clover Hill had communicated with members of the council asking that as works come to a close, walls facing Clover Hill be painted and planting done in the space between estates.
Two bungalows in the new development will face into a cul-de-sac in Clover Hill, they said.
According to the housing report, power and water is currently being brought to the units before the final finishing of the units starts.
Additional ground workers are present on site to assist in the delivery of footpaths, roads and green spaces.
The contractor has limited the number of trades on site due to social distancing as required by Covid-19 guidelines. Due to supply chain issues, temporary closures, and having to limit the numbers of personnel on-site due to Covid-19, the project completion date is now December 2020.
‘We need to find a solution as a group,’ said Cllr O’Connor. He said that there are cuts to the estate. ‘Are there any cuts to any other estates?’ According to the communication given to members, the council had told the spokesman that due to higher costs there was less available for such works.
Cllr Dermot O’Brien said that there was a resolution made at a previous district meeting, that a meeting should happen between residents of Clover Hill and council officials.
That did not occur due to the pandemic. Cllr O’Brien said that there is a lovely, vibrant community in the area. He said that they have had five years of inconvenience.
‘ There is a worry that the finish of the Kilbride Lane development won’t complement and integrate with Clover Hill,’ said Cllr O’Brien. ‘I think it is doable. To say that it is not within our remit, power or competence to do something would be strange.’
Cllr Joe Behan welcomed in his opening remarks regarding the housing report that so much progress has been made on different housing schemes in the area. ‘Ard Na Greine looks like it’s starting in September, there is public consultation for Cedar court and Jameson Court in Kilmacanogue is nearly finished, as is Kilbride Lane,’ said Cllr Behan. ‘After many years of waiting it is great to see progress on schemes,’ he said.
Cllr Behan said that Covid-19 intervened after it was agreed a meeting should take place between housing staff and residents of Clover Hill. ‘I regret the fact that a meeting didn’t take place and I would still like to see it take place,’ he said.
‘ There has been a lot of disquiet on that cul de sac,’ said Cllr Behan. He said that issues have included breaking of the rules when it came to times of work, and the way the road was cleaned up and reinstated.
‘What’s left now is the integration of the side of the development facing Clover Hill,’ said Cllr Behan. ‘We need to try to ensure it’s done the best way possible for the community in Clover Hill and the two people in those houses.’
He said that the council have made an argument that they have to cut costs. Cllr Behan said that a part eight had been passed on the project. ‘So we might vote for something but if money gets tight the officials have the power to cut something out?’
Cllr Behan said that the finishing touches should be done and in agreement with the residents if possible.
‘ The officials should meet representatives of the residents,’ he said. ‘I don’t think it’s acceptable that the works - railings, planting and paintings - can’t be done.’
Cllr Melanie Corrigan said that she feels very strongly that it needs to be sorted. ‘Cost cutting is very unfair on people in a family oriented area who have put up with works going on,’ she said.
Leas- Cathaoirleach Cllr Aoife Flynn Kennedy, who was chairing last Tuesday’s meeting, commended the housing department on all the works done. ‘It is a lengthy process, perhaps too long. A lot of these projects have been in the pipeline for many years. Now we can start taking people off the housing list.’
Housing administrative officer Triona Irving said that she would pass those compliments on to the housing department. She said that all allocations have been done for Jameson Heights in Kilmacanogue, and people were delighted to receive their letters.
Ms Irving said that she could bring any specific questions to the director of housing regarding Kilbride Lane, and the director would respond to the members. ‘I gather that it’s to do with the finish of the development and the integration of both communities,’ said Ms Irving. ‘We can certainly ask him to look at it and come back with full details.’
Cllr Dermot O’Brien asked that it be done in consultation with the community. ‘ They have ideas and are willing to be involved.’
District Manager Lorraine Gallagher said that’s where the impasse is. She said that the Part Eight process includes public consultation, which is key to the process, and that’s when anything like that should be addressed.
Cllr Joe Behan said that the request is quite specific - that walls facing clover hill be painted and plants be planted. ‘ They are not impossible requests,’ he said. ‘Unless the Wicklow County Council housing director has set his face against any kind of compromise,’ he said. ‘I hope that’s not his attitude.’
He said that Bray Municipal District has a housing function. ‘It was fought for long and hard before amalgamation,’ said Cllr Behan. ‘As part of that the director should come to some of these meetings. We passed a motion months before covid that the housing director should meet the residents. I don’t want to be pushed aside with a second hand message.
‘I might not agree with everything the residents have said, particularly about council officials,’ said Cllr Behan. ‘But they are correct in saying that we as councillors if we are worth anything, should be able to uphold a commitment made.’
Members agreed to seek a response from the director of housing regarding meeting representatives of residents of Clover Hill, perhaps over Zoom.
THERE IS A WORRY THAT THE FINISH OF THE KILBRIDE LANE DEVELOPMENT WON’T COMPLEMENT AND INTEGRATE WITH CLOVER HILL