Inspection hope for Townspark residents

An architect is due to visit the Townspark estate in Navan this week to inspect vacant houses there, with the expectation of refurbishment work starting on 12 houses early in 2011. The news comes just a week after Meath County Council announced that it had terminated the contract with the contractor who was due to carry out long-awaited remedial works scheme in the estate. The council proposes to fast-track the process as quickly as possible by possibly breaking down the work into two separate contracts. Cllr Joe Reilly welcomed the news and said the residents of Townspark had been forced over many years to live with a large number of empty properities, giving the estate a 'ghetto' atmosphere. “The announcement of 12 vacant properties being refurbished will help to address much of this environmental problem,†he said. Cllr Reilly pointed to Navan's unemployment rate of 14 per cent and said the work on the vacant houses would provide much-needed work and employment opportunities to the construction sector in Navan. He also welcomed the comments of Meath County Council that it remains fully committed to advancing the Remedial Work Scheme. Cllr Jim Holloway said that there was justifiable anger in Townspark at the current situation. He said he was extremely annoyed that the project had ended in the way it had. “This represents the failure of the system of public service to deliver a much-needed service to those who need it. The residents will know all too well the the false promises they were made over the last decade. This whole project puts an end to any doubts people may have about the urgent need to reform the way we deliver our public services in this country,†he said.