Council moves to try to address Derry's unadopted estates

Derry & Strabane Council are to call together a number of agencies to address the state of dozens of unadopted housing estates across Derry and Strabane.
There are dozens of unadopted estates throughout the Derry City & Strabane District Council area. (file pic)There are dozens of unadopted estates throughout the Derry City & Strabane District Council area. (file pic)
There are dozens of unadopted estates throughout the Derry City & Strabane District Council area. (file pic)

The Council’s Planning Committee will now hold a special inter-agency meeting involving all relevant parties to establish responsibility for the state of dozens of local streets.

The move comes after various councillors raised concerns that people were being forced to live in areas without proper roads, lighting, and in some cases sewage, systems.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Back in January, Transport NI revealed that there were 110 housing developments at present within the local council area that have been started but not completed, and therefore were not adopted.

They have categorised 60 developments as ‘backlog sites’, where the completion works certificates have not been issued despite 80% occupation of homes on the site.

Sinn Fein Councillor Tony Hassan said there were unadopted parts of an estate in the Culmore area which looked “like a bomb hit it”.

His party colleague Patricia Logue added: “There needs to be put in place sort of certificate, before residents can go into their homes, that these streets are ready for adoption.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We have seen developers who have just walked away from developments and the residents are left to live with consequences. There are streets in this council area and there is not a light, the footpaths and roads aren’t being repaired; the whole sewage system.”

DUP Councillor Thomas Kerrigan said that in some areas, there was not even an insurance bond in place to tie the developer to the works.

SDLP Colr. John Boyle said the council should use its influence to “protect those who have basically put their lives into acquiring a property.”

SDLP Colr. Martin Reilly said the talks should also include abandoned pieces of land within estates that have become problematic and overgrown.