Roof comes off as ghost estate demolished - Independent.ie

By Edel O'Connell

Friday April 06 2012

THREE years ago 26 apartments were built in a picturesque spot in the West of Ireland in the hope of fetching €125,000 each.

Yesterday, however, a developer looked on as his ghost apartment blocks, an emblem of a time now gone, came crashing to the ground.

Developer Paul Curley said he reluctantly made the decision to demolish the blocks at Carraig Linn housing estate in Loughrea, Co Galway as he simply could not shift them -- and they had long become an eyesore. The estate was first built in 2009.

Planning had been originally sought for 102 units -- but only 62 of the original planned number of units were started.

Of the 62 housing and apartment units built 14 (21pc) are currently classed as being complete while 49 (79pc) -- including the now demolished 26 apartments -- are currently classed as being incomplete.

The developer says a total of 14 houses are currently occupied on the estate.

Safety

Four-bedroom homes at Carraig Linn are currently on the market for less than €170,000.

Mr Curley, who lives locally, said the empty blocks had become a health and safety issue, but said he had not been directed to tear them down by the local authority.

The brickwork was completed and the roofs were half-tiled. Mr Curley said the work on them to date has cost him in the region of 60,000.

The developer has also built a separate estate in Loughrea called 'Oak Wood', which he says is currently at 95pc occupancy.

"The apartments had become an eyesore and there was very little interest in them, so we had to cut our losses," he said.

He said the site on which the blocks were demolished will now be transformed into a green area.

via independent.ie

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