Dallat 'astounded' at apathy to 'derelict sites'

Transport NI has been accused by East Derry MLA John Dallat of walking away from their responsibilites in abandoning unfinished housing estates.

The SDLP representative,  a member of the Regional Development Committee,  described the process to have roads adopted by the Department of Regional Development as "too often an exercise in passing the parcel." accusing Transport NI of giving greater consideration to developers, who abandoned sites and walked away from their responsibilities, than to unfortunate residents who were left in what could only be described as "estates of dereliction."

Mr Dallat said: “For decades this problem has plagued local residents and caused much distress. I am astounded by the apathy of the Department of Regional Development who seem indifferent to the dilemmas of these people. It is unacceptable that these poor standards can result in environments where young children are exposed to danger from water next to live lamps.

“In all that time there has been a failure to call in bonds early to ensure that residents are not put through unnecessary stress and expense dealing with solicitors to try and win their right to an adopted and maintained by DRD.

“Delaying action against unscrupulous developers is a poor strategy and one that will come back to haunt the Department if new legislation is not brought forward to put right a terrible wrong that, decades on, appears no closer to being solved."

Mr Dallat concluded: “I have called for collective action from all departments, including the Planning Service, to put in place clear strategies which will end, once and for all, the fly by night merchants who have left so many people living in unacceptable conditions.”