No money to fix street lights leaves homes in darkness

Rodney Edwards • Published 12 Jan 2012 13:00 0 Comments

Over 150 roads in developments in Fermanagh have yet to be adopted by Roads Service for maintenance according to Fermanagh District Council.

The statistic was revealed at Monday night's Council meeting where it emerged that a number of constructions across the county, such as housing developments, are incomplete as a result of the recession.

SDLP Councillor Frank Britton told the Council how residents living in Ashbourne Manor, Enniskillen, have been left in darkness after their street lights stopped working. Up to 15 of the street lights in the development are out of action, and according to Mr. Britton the developers who constructed the site have run out of money to carry out repairs.

"The residents say the area is in darkness. They have contacted the developers to replace them and have been told they don't have the money to do it. I request that the Council write to Road Service and ask them what action they intend to take," said Mr. Britton.

DUP Councillor Bert Johnston spoke of a similar problem at a development in Kesh.

"I know of a development that is lying with half the house done. It is unsightly stuff with no proper road and a sewage problem. The people who bought houses in there are being held to ransom," he said.

Ulster Unionist Robert Irvine, added: "The economic situation is as such that these developments aren't going to be completed in the next ten years. We need something in place so that Road Service and Northern Ireland Water and other statuary agencies can do something," he said.Sinn Fein's Stephen Huggett said residents are being "severely inconvenienced" by developers, but added: "I don't think one should expect too much from statuary agencies who I don't think have a responsibility".

Mr. Huggett's colleague, Brian McCaffrey, added: "This is not a problem for Councils; it's a problem for the Assembly," he said.

However, the councillors agreed to write to Road Service to raise the issue and the issue of developers not completing roads and street lightening.

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This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 12 Jan 12

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