Bun Daire residents' concerns ‘have to be addressed'

Westmeath County Council has “failed” in the management of the Bun Daire estate in Kinnegad, “which has led to a socially volatile situation”, residents there are claiming.

According to a council report on its plans to construct 12 new houses in the estate, a group of 22 residents requested a meeting with the council regarding the management of the estate by an outside agency.

In its submission relating to the proposed development, the residents also voiced concerns about road safety, which they said will be “exacerbated” by 12 extra houses.

The residents added that sightlines from the estate are “very restrictive” and the mini-roundabout is “non-existent”.

In the report circulated to councillors, the council stated it plans to replace the mini roundabout with a priority junction “which will greatly improve traffic safety at the junction and make it more pedestrian and cyclist friendly”.

Speaking at the May meeting of the council, where councillors approved the Part 8 planning application for the expansion of the estate, Cllr John Shaw said that it is “critical” that the priority junction is installed before any building work takes place.

He also said that it is important the representatives meet with residents to “alleviate their concerns” about the estate.

Cllr Mick Dollard said that the construction 12 new units in Kinnegad is welcome, but that 112 houses would be needed to meet the town’s social housing needs.

He also noted that the council needs to “sit down” with residents for discussions about the management of the estate.

“We are not just building houses but building a community and we need good estate management,” he said.

Cllr Sorca Clarke noted that the concerns expressed by the residents “were not new”.

Something needs to be done to address the “nuisance behaviour” of a minority of residents in the estate, she said.

Cllr Emily Wallace said that the council “needs to take a lead” to addressing anti-social behaviour in the estate.

Director of services for housing, David Hogan, said that “some of the issues have been addressed” in Bun Daire and that it is “an ongoing process”.