Feeling The Strain On Struan Hill

Somebody’s watching you… Struan Hill 25OCT24

he one thing you might expect when you pay over €1m to live in a small, bespoke housing estate of just 14 houses is that you might just get some peace and quiet.

Along with, you know, the standard public infrastructure and facilities, such as open spaces, a decent road, etc agus etc.

That’s exactly what the residents of Delgany’s mildly exclusive Struan Hill were told was included with their hefty price tag, but the sly addition of another four houses approved last December seems to have delayed and derailed such plans.

For now, those living in the 14 houses already built have found themselves sitting pretty in the middle of a not-so-pretty building site. That seems to be going on forever. And with little regard for the conditions agreed for the building of said houses.

We reached out last week to developers CPF Struan hill Vision Limited to get their side of the story but answer came there none.

What we do have though is one anonymous resident giving his particular side to the story…

Developers CPF Struan Hill Vision Limited have kicked off their construction of 4 no. 2-storey, with 1 no. understorey, detached houses on lands adjoining the residential development granted under Pl. ref. 15/260 and subsequent amendments (Pl. Ref. 21/1128; Pl. Ref. 21/1565 and Pl. Ref. 21/1251).

The conditions of the planning included paying the sum of €60,796 towards public infrastructure and facilities benefiting the area, and no development to commence until the completion of open spaces, roads, footpaths and the rest.

Unfortunately for the new residents of the 14 houses built in Phase One, lack of enforcement means these conditions have not been met, but the construction of the 4 additional houses is in full swing. 

A constant flow of construction traffic up and down the only access road into Struan Hill, no wheel washing or regular road cleaning being done, and no traffic management plan in place, as per their Construction Management Plan submitted to WCC (see here), damage to pillars and footpaths caused by the large and very heavy vehicles having difficulties manoeuvring in and out of the entrance, and causing damage to the road surface (which has not been completed), and causing damage to the original foul and surface water sewerage system which was installed back in 2007 and has not been upgraded.  

Constant issues with this old infrastructure and Super Drain Limited out regularly to  clear blockages and remove rocks, stones and silt etc. in the pipes.

The original Struan Hill home

Only a few of the streetlights installed are currently working, and the construction operation hours approved by WCC (0800 to 1800 Mondays to Fridays, 0800 to 1400 Saturdays, and not at all on Sundays) are not being adhered to.

Various complaints and concerns made to WCC, Irish Water, and the HSA don’t seem to have improved matters much, and it looks like another 18 months of disruption before the estate is handed over to WCC and to Irish Water, and that’s only if the developer complies with everything required before moving on.

You can find out more about the Struan Hill development here, here agus here, and check the conditions for application no.2360186 right here along with the Construction Management Plan right here.