Disappointment has arisen in Milford over homes allegedly being used to house refugees instead of social housing applicants, a local councillor has said.
Cllr Liam Blaney, the Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council, has questioned a change of plan concerning a turnkey development at Lough Fern Heights in Milford. The council was anticipating that 17 houses would be delivered for social housing. However, it’s understood that the houses are now being provided for Ukrainian families in a move outside of the local authority’s control.
Cllr Blaney said that many local people in Milford were looking forward to the homes being completed and were ‘annoyed’ and ‘distressed’ to realise that the houses would not be handed to those on the housing list.
“You can understand why people are very disappointed and frustrated,” Cllr Blaney told the Letterkenny-Milford Municipal District meeting today.
“There was anger and resentment building up for the people that came into these houses, not that they were aware of it.”
Mayor of Letterkenny-Milford Donal ‘Mandy’ Kelly added that the change of plan “raised a lot of eyebrows and a lot of questions”.
A report from Donegal County Council said that council staff engaged with the developer under the turnkey acquisition programme with a view to deliver 17 social houses. The council provided advice, support and guidance to ensure that the development would comply with the required standards and cost requirements for social housing when completed.
However, a contract is generally not signed until the development is completed and it was taken in goodwill that the houses would be handed over.
With the houses now understood to be occupied under ‘alternative arrangements’, the council said it was disappointed given the nature of the ongoing engagement and expectation that 17 social houses would be delivered for Milford.
“The Council has become aware of similar issues arising in some other counties, and that the matter is being examined at Department level,” a report said.
While the Council is not privy to the details of the housing arrangement, it is understood that recent developments have seen families move on to alternative accommodation.
A fact-finding mission is underway into the developer’s change of plan, Letterkenny-Milford councillors were told.
