Safety fears in ‘ghost estate’

RESIDENTS living in a so-called “ghost estate” in Borrisokane in Co Tipperary are living in fear of a major accident because the gable ends of some of the unfinished houses on the site have collapsed.

Parents fear they or their children will be injured due to falling clumps of mortar from the unfinished houses at the Ardán estate.

“It’s like the Wild West,” said resident Pat Molloy. “We’re sick of it. The road in the estate floods when it rains and the gable ends of two houses are after collapsing.

“We also have a serious problem with vermin and we have people coming into the estate taking bits off the unfinished houses.

“Door and windows and planks have been stolen. The front door has been taken off one house and a window off another.”

Mr Molloy added the estate had no green area.

Local Independent county councillor Michael O’ Meara, who as a local auctioneer sold houses in the estate to residents, said there was a good insurance bond lodged by the developer which could be drawn on to tackle crucial works in the estate.

“I am asking them [the council] to use the money from that to put in a green area for the residents and to erect palisade fencing around the unfinished houses,” he said.