Council to takeover up to 70 estates within weeks

Council to takeover up to 70 estates within weeks


Ciara Galvin

UP to 70 housing estates are to be taken over by Mayo County Council in the next three weeks. John McMyler of Mayo County Council told last week’s Strategic Policy Committee meeting that the council is planning to take over 60 to 70 estates in the next three weeks in ‘an ambitious programme’.
Mr McMyler told the committee that although the issue of releasing developer bonds remains, the council could still takeover while it continued to work on ‘getting money’ from the developers to finish off the estates.
“At least by going in we feel we’re forcing the hand [of the developers],” he said. While he acknowledged that the council had yet to make a decision on another 400 estates, he said  the upcoming takeovers were ‘a big step’.
Fine Gael councillor Eugene McCormack said it was ‘welcome news’ and had his full support. His sentiments were echoed by Sinn Féin councillor Gerry Murray. “At long last [the council is] making some progress,” he said, adding that he would like to see the council put down ramps in estates where speeding was a problem.