Written answers

Wednesday, 6 June 2012

Department of Environment, Community and Local Government

Unfinished Housing Developments

10:00 pm

Photo of Pearse DohertyPearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 567: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason an estate (details supplied) in County Dublin was not included in the list of unfinished estates designated by his Department for intervention; if he will consider including this estate on the list of unfinished estates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26564/12]

Photo of Jan O'SullivanJan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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As part of the process of preparing the National Housing Development Survey 2011, published by my Department in October 2011, local authorities provided details of all unfinished housing developments in their areas. Unfinished housing developments were divided into four categories as follows:

· category one, where the development is still being actively completed by the developer, or where no serious public safety issues exist;

· category two, where a receiver has been appointed;

· category three, where a receiver has not been appointed and the developer is still in place but effectively inactive; and

· category four, where the development has been effectively abandoned and is posing serious problems for residents.

Other relevant factors for the purposes of the categorisation process include, inter alia :

· the state of completion of roads, footpaths, public lighting, piped water and sewerage facilities and open spaces or similar amenities within the development;

· the extent to which the development complies with the terms of applicable planning permission;

· the extent to which it complies with the provisions of the Building Control Acts 1990 and 2007;

· the provisions of the Local Government (Sanitary Services) Act 1964 as they pertain to dangerous places and dangerous structures within the meaning of the Act;

· the extent to which facilities within the development have been taken in charge by the local authority concerned; and

· where there is an agreement regarding the maintenance of such facilities, the extent to which this agreement has been complied with.

The Paddocks Estate, in Adamstown, Lucan, Co. Dublin was included in the 2011 survey as a category one estate.

Photo of Gerry AdamsGerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 568: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason the residents of an estate (details supplied) in County Clare are not excluded from the household charge in view of the fact that there are many unresolved issues relating to the finishing of this estate. [26592/12]

Photo of Gerry AdamsGerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 569: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the developer of an estate (details supplied) in County Clare has gone into receivership, that there are many unresolved issues relating to the finishing of this estate and the estate has not been taken in charge by Clare County Council; if he will clarify whether the developer paid a bond for this development to the council; in view of the fact that the developer has now gone into receivership will the bond now be used to finish any outstanding work on the development. [26593/12]

Photo of Jan O'SullivanJan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 568 and 569 together.

As part of the process of preparing the National Housing Development Survey 2011, published by my Department in October 2011, local authorities provided details of all unfinished housing developments in their areas. Unfinished housing developments were divided into four categories as follows:

· category one, where the development is still being actively completed by the developer, or where no serious public safety issues exist;

· category two, where a receiver has been appointed;

· category three, where a receiver has not been appointed and the developer is still in place but effectively inactive; and

· category four, where the development has been effectively abandoned and is posing serious problems for residents.

Other relevant factors for the purposes of the categorisation process include, inter alia :

· the state of completion of roads, footpaths, public lighting, piped water and sewerage facilities and open spaces or similar amenities within the development;

· the extent to which the development complies with the terms of applicable planning permission;

· the extent to which it complies with the provisions of the Building Control Acts 1990 and 2007;

· the provisions of the Local Government (Sanitary Services) Act 1964 as they pertain to dangerous places and dangerous structures within the meaning of the Act;

· the extent to which facilities within the development have been taken in charge by the local authority concerned; and

· where there is an agreement regarding the maintenance of such facilities, the extent to which this agreement has been complied with.

The National Asset Management Agency has responsibility for Ashley Close, Westbury, Athlunkard, Co. Clare, and reports regularly to the National Co-ordinating Committee on Unfinished Housing Developments in progress in respect of unfinished developments for which the Agency has responsibility.

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