Family may lose house in road plan

A COUPLE granted permission for an extension to their home have been told they could lose their house to make way for a new road.

Planners admit they diverted from an original route plan miles away because of the threat of compensation claims from the Government and a quarry group.

Patrick and Patricia Hickey and their four children have vowed to fight the proposed new route for a dual carriageway from Waterford to Kilcullen to save their 10-year-old home.

The Hickey’s want the planners to revert back to an earlier road plan, one which they claim would have less impact on their surrounding environment.

Neighbours have joined in the fight to block plans for a mile-long viaduct over Ballyreddin Weir near scenic Bennettsbridge in Co Kilkenny. They want the National Roads Authority to stick to its original route, closer to Kilkenny city.

“We’ve formed a 12-person committee and we are going to fight this new road plan on every possible front. We’re not against the road, we just want a route developed which will have less impact on the lives of people,” Mrs Hickey said.

“We’re the ones who will suffer, just because the big boys in Government and at the quarry have threatened to sue.”

Mrs Hickey said questions would be raised in the Dáil on the matter and that 40 questions had been tabled for the next county council meeting.

She said if the road went through the area, it would transform Bennettsbridge into a major depot for tar and bricks.

The route was originally supposed to cut closer to Kilkenny city. However the original “yellow route” was abandoned because the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources threatened to sue if a path through a valuable quarry operated by Roadstone was developed.

A spokesman for the department said it was its duty under the Minerals Act to protect all mineral reserves and ensure the mineral wealth is protected for the benefit of the Exchequer.

He added that the department had written to the local authority, saying if the route went through the deposit it would be looking for compensation. “All we were doing was fulfilling our obligations,” the department spokesman said.