'Mitchelstown is dying on its feet' as treatment plant delay holds up housing projects
It is claimed that housing projects in Mitchelstown, Co Cork are being put on hold because the town's sewerage treatment plant cannot cope with increased capacity.
A Co Cork town is losing its young adults and has seen a notable decrease in the number of children attending primary schools, with the shortage of housing being blamed.
It is claimed that housing projects are being put on hold because the town's sewerage treatment plant cannot cope with increased capacity.
Concerns have now been raised by county councillors that Mitchelstown is dying on its feet because Irish Water hasn’t been able to confirm when a new treatment plant will be built there.
Some short-term improvements have been made to the plant, but not enough to allow housing projects planned by private developers and the county council to proceed.
The only solution is the construction of a new treatment plant, say local representatives. As there is no timeline for when this might happen young people are moving away from the town, according to local councillors. Plans for a major nursing home for Mitchelstown were ditched by a private company, which has now decided to locate in Co Tipperary instead.
Councillors representing the region are seeking an urgent meeting with the Minister for the Environment in the hope of rectifying the situation. They say the lack of an adequate treatment plant has caused Mitchelstown’s snail’s pace growth since 2016.
The issue was raised at a meeting of the council’s northern division by Fianna Fáil councillor Frank O’Flynn.
He asked council officials to contact Irish Water as a matter of urgency about the ongoing stifling of housing and business development in the town.
"It’s a no-go area for new housing and it’s going on far too long,” Mr O’Flynn said. “Mitchelstown’s just lost a state-of-the art nursing home, which is now going to Tipperary.”
Fianna Fáil councillor Deirdre O’Brien said: “We’re losing our young people and our school numbers are going down. This is a critical situation. This has been going on since I joined the council in 2016. Why did we get to this stage? There should be a formal inquiry into this.”
Fine Gael councillor Kay Dawson said urgent action is required to stop the town dying on its feet.
“We are losing people. The numbers in the town's primary schools are dropping way below the national average. Businesses will also suffer and soon they won’t be able to get staff,” she said.
Fine Gael councillor Noel McCarthy said he knew that "many 30-somethings” are moving away from the town because they can’t get planning permission for houses and this is further decreasing the population.
“They're not going to come back,” he added.
Niall Healy, acting council assistant chief executive, said he acknowledged the councillors’ frustrations.
He said senior council officials had told Irish Water that a new treatment plant is needed for Mitchelstown.
“It needs to feature as a priority and we will continue to beat that drum,” Mr Healy said.
Meanwhile, Mr O’Flynn said that Irish Water must also build a new water mains connection on the outskirts of the town serving the Ballinamona and Pollardstown areas because it is constantly breaking.
“This has been going on for years, but it is getting worse by the day,” he said.
Ms O’Brien said there is now “a break on it every week” and “it’s terrible for the families living in these areas.”
