Judge forces council to take care of estates

A judge has ordered a county council to move immediately to take over responsibility for public areas and services in two new housing estates following a legal dispute with the builders.

In a decision which affects local authorities’ special arrangements for taking over such responsibilities, the High Court ruled Donegal County Council was not entitled to rely on a scheme it created for this purpose, but was obliged to deal with these matters in accordance with national law.

Mr Justice Gerard Hogan said the county council and the local town council had offered no acceptable reason for failure to discharge their legal obligations to two building companies relating to two estates they constructed at Maple Drive and Ross View, Magheracar, Bundoran, Donegal.