Leitrim estate in limbo as long-delayed taking-in-charge process remains unresolved

A meeting will be arranged between staff of Leitrim County Council and representatives of a management company in a Carrick-on-Shannon estate to provide clarity on steps for the estate to be taken in charge.

Cllr Cormac Flynn asked the Council to engage directly with representatives of the management company for Lis Cara estate to outline the specific works, standards, and documentation required in order for the estate to be taken in charge.

“Lis Cara is the biggest estate in County Leitrim. It’s been there for 20 years at this stage and it’s still not taken over by Leitrim County Council. I understand there are issues with wastewater and others but I think they’ve been left in limbo for long enough now,” said Cllr Flynn. “They’ve spent enough money. They spent €32,000 on a wastewater pump that they collected themselves to fix the issue,” he added.

“They’ve put a lot of work in and have done a huge clean up job themselves last month.”

The motion was seconded by Cllr Enda Stenson and Cllr Paddy Farrell.

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A written response from the Planning Department noted that they have received a request to take the estate in charge, which is under consideration, but there are a number of issues within the estate that need to be addressed, including significant issues such as foul sewers which traverse through back gardens of individual houses which will not be taken in charge, and issues with the watermain network.

The Planning Department cannot give a definitive timeline in which we intend to take this development in charge. The undertaking of infrastructural works within an estate, when taken in charge, is managed through the Capital Projects Department.

An assessment is also needed of underground drainage and infrastructure using surveys and CCTV. They also need to calculate how much repair work will cost.

There is also a financial issue where the cost of fixing the estate is expected to be higher than the money originally set aside to cover such works.

“Leitrim County Council does not have capacity from our own resources to remedy the infrastructural issues within Lis Cara and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage have indicated that there is no funding scheme available to assist at this time for such developments,” the response concluded.

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Martin Donnelly from the Planning Department told Cllr Flynn that they have to identify an additional source of funding to pay for those works and they are in the process of trying to do that at the moment.

It was agreed that two representatives from the Council can meet with three people from the management company to answer questions on the matter.