Report Paul Murphy
An expressed hope by an independent councillor last month that he would again not have to raise the issue of the troubled Aylesbury housing development in Clonee fell by the wayside at the March meeting of Meath County Council yesterday Monday when he felt it necessary once more to express frustration over the issue.
Nick Killian had told the council in May last year that 66 new apartments in Clonee would go some way towards solving the local housing crisis but the homes lay empty due to ongoing controversy on issues between State agencies and the developer. He told the council meeting on Monday that on the morning of the meeting he had had representations for a young woman with two children who was living with her parents and who had been told this time last year that she was about to move into a new apartment at Aylesbury. Her family was in distress, he said.
There were now five people living in council emergency accommodation waiting to move in for almost 12 months. Those were five places that the homeless section of the county council could well do with. “Aylesbury has to be sorted this month. I am really concerned about some of the families who are on to me, and no exaggeration, on a daily basis”. Cllr Killian was supported by Independent Cllr Noel French. On the general issue of housing supply Cllr Killian said he noted that there had been 25 valid housing commencement notices issued in January of this year as against 67 last year and he found that “worrying”. What was happening in Meath was a reflection of what was happening around the country “because we are not in a position to build our own houses”. He said he had been a passionate advocate throughout his political career of the council having the ability to build its own houses. He knew that officials had been attempting to buy land but the council has to try harder on that front.
It had been disclosed at a recent council strategic policy committee meeting that 1,700 applicants had applied to the council for housing in 2024 – “a huge amount”. “That is adding to our list year on year on year. As things stand we in Co Meath in the next 10 years will not solve the housing crisis despite all the promises. Yes, there is great stuff happening around the county but up in Ratoath Municipal District it is not happening. We are now in a position where we are asking people in our area to move further up the country. People don’t want to do that. They want to live and grow, have their children and educate them in the area they are actually from. We have to do better on the purchase of land”.
