Kickback against lands in Mayo remaining sterilised where roads don't progress

WHERE land is sterilised for a proposed road, after 10 years the route should either be bought out or taken off the maps if the project hasn't progressed.

The suggestion was made by Councillor Damien Ryan during a discussion on a bypass of Claremorris where lands remain sterilised 20 years after a route was proposed.

Councillor Richard Finn kicked off the debate when he tabled a motion asking Mayo County Council to have the N60 to the N17 Claremorris bypass put back on the TII agenda as soon as possible.

He was told that a minor works application for an N60/N17 link was submitted to TII in 2022. To date no funding allocation has been received from TII for this proposal, which will require dedicated funding from TII and NRO resources if it is to be progressed.

'While the allocation of funding is beyond the control of the municipal district, we will continue to push to have the matter addressed,' he was told by council management.

Councillor Finn said this blueprint has been going on for the last 20 years. There were two plans essentially, and Claremount to Boherduff and out on to the N17 seemed the most viable and they should be promoting it.

There may be a feeling out there for a new route but if they were to start from scratch again, it wasn't going to happen in a generation, he commented.

“We need to pursue the original plan. We need the project to go back again for funding,” he said.

If they don't keep knocking on the door they weren't going to receive such funding.

Councillor Finn added how it wasn't fair that lands have been sterilised for 20 years by a project that has not proceeded to fruition. There should be some mechanism if projects don't go ahead, that lands should be desterilised.

Councillor Deirdre Lawless agreed the town and commuters need this project, to make the roads safer and help businesses too.

Claremorris Chamber of Commerce has been lobbying to have it put back on the agenda, said Councillor Alma Gallagher. They wanted a town that is welcoming and open for business.

The N60 has become the 'forgotten route' and it needs to be back on TII's agenda.

The 'bizarre' situation with a bypass in Ballinrobe was that after a certain length of time, a project falls dead, said Councillor Michael Burke. There was nothing that would change the new proposals for it, but still it had to go back to the drawing board to be redone again, held up for another three or four years going through the various stages, costing the taxpayer a fortune.

Councillor Ryan said TII have 'a luxury' that should be taken away from them.

If they affirm a route, after 10 years they should be compelled to dispose of it or purchase it within those 10 years at the market value.

“If the route is obsolete after 10 years, either purchase it or it comes off,” he said, adding it's unfair on land owners.

There should be a timeline in legisation once a project is kickstarted, said Councillor Gerry Murray, saying they were going to have the same situation in Charlestown where serviced development land has been frozen.