By Catriona Gallen
THE residents of Lower Tara Court on the Ramelton road, Letterkenny, were rudely awakened this week when a developer moved on to a greenfield site close to their homes and began working on an alleged unlawful development.
Bulldozers and diggers moved on to the site close to Tara Court on the Ramelton road early on Tuesday. The contractor began work immediately moving tons of top soil, uprooting trees, hedges and fences.
One local resident who contacted the Donegal News said the noise and commotion came as a terrible shock to the elderly residents of the area.
"The developer was trying to reduce the level of the land. The green area behind our houses on Lower Tara Court has been used by residents here since 1978 and therefore have claim to the site," he said.
"We contacted the Council immediately and spoke to the appointed contractor and asked him to stop work until the enforcement officer arrived, but he continued to work on and ignored us. Now there are mounds of soil, some up to 10 foot in height, sitting outside the windows of our homes. The Council carried out road widening recently and knocked down a hedge which had helped to block the noise from the main road. Now we have mud and clay blocking the view.
"Many of the residents at the lower end of Tara Court are elderly and some have suffered bereavements recently. The noise and speed of the work came as quite a shock," he added.
An enforcement officer from Donegal County Council visited the site on Tuesday afternoon and put a stop to all work and noted what work had been carried out. He again visited the site at 9 am on Wednesday and all machinery had been removed from the area.
"The situation is being monitored by the Planning Section and residents have been requested to notify them if any work recommences," said a spokesperson from Donegal County Council.
It is understood that following council procedure a file and investigation into who the developer is behind the site clearance will not begin until such times as some development work takes place.
In 2006, residents in Upper Tara Court awoke to find another unauthorised development taking place. Garden walls had been knocked down and flooding experienced because the work had disrupted drainage. In this instance Letterkenny Town Council issued an Enforcement Notice to Dunree Construction Co. Ltd., Dry Arch Complex, Letterkenny on January 31 last concerning the construction of an unauthorised roadway at Kiltoy, Letterkenny. This company is not connected with the events of this week.
"This is the second unlawful development which has taken place surrounding our estate. An enforcement notice was served two years ago on Dunree Construction.The company had three months to rectify the damage but nothing has been done since. The Council don't appear to follow up on the enforcement notices once they're issued.
"The ordinary person seems to be helpless against the Council and theses powerful people, but there is a democracy and we will work to ensure that this monstrosity at the rear of our homes is rectified," he said.
A Council spokesperson said the matter in relation Dunree Construction Ltd, is with the Council Solicitor and no further comment could be made.
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