Council may dezone Nama land to force handover for road

Cork County Council could take the unprecedented step of dezoning building land owned by Nama to make it worthless and force the agency to hand it over to the local authority for road safety measures.

The council wants land in Douglas to be used to finish off a road safety development along a corridor used by more than 20,000 vehicles per day.

Transport Minister Leo Varadkar has provided millions of euro to upgrade the route between Clarke’s Hill and Maryborough Hill. However, the section of land in between cannot be linked to the upgrade as it is under the control of Nama.

Douglas-based councillor Deirdre Forde said that, as part of a planning application issued to the former developer of the land now under Nama control, a new road and roundabout were built on it which would form the missing section of the road safety initiative.

A roundabout was built by the former developer, as well as most of the road, but they have not been linked to the two other sections.

The Irish Examiner understands there have been talks between the local authority and Nama in the hope of resolving the issue but, to date, no conclusion has been reached.

Ms Forde said there was an urgent need to have these talks concluded in the interest of the safety of motorists and pedestrians.

“The section of land which we need will be used for a road which will replace one where the sight lines are woeful and it is especially dangerous for people trying to come out of Moneygourney onto Maryborough Hill,” said Ms Forde, a Fine Gael councillor.

She said if the talks were not concluded soon she would put down a motion to have the land dezoned for housing. It is expected that she will get widespread support from colleagues.

“It seem ludicrous to me that one department of the Government is giving millions for roads and footpaths in an area, while another entity appears to be indifferent to the obligation and responsibilities inherent in this situation… Therefore, the only remedy in my view is to proceed with dezoning these lands.”

County manager Martin Riordan said he understood the issues Ms Forde was raising and felt “there is an urgent need to find a solution to this protracted problem”.