Developers disappearing with ‘millions in their pockets’ while Wexford council ‘pick up the slack’ at unfinished housing estates

By Simon Bourke, Wexford People

Builders have disappeared with “millions in their pockets” and left Wexford County Council (WCC) to rectify issues in unfinished estates according to the cathaoirleach of the Rosslare Municipal District (RMD).

With a list of 17 estates which require the council to take them in charge – a process where a local authority assumes responsibility for the maintenance of roads, footpaths, public lighting, and drainage in a residential estate – the RMD is not as deeply affected by poorly-constructed developments as others districts in Co Wexford.

However, at the monthly meeting of the RMD, Councillor Ger Carthy said the number of estates which required the council to intervene on behalf of residents was still too many.

“We have builders who’ve gone off with millions in their pockets while we’re left carrying the can,” he said. “This is a result of the light-touch regulations we employ and we can’t allow this to happen again.”

Cllr Carthy was speaking following a presentation from senior planner Tom Banville, in which he specified six estates in the RMD which the council was focusing on for 2026. Those estates are Cluain Aoibhinn, Beechwood Avenue, Fairway Drive, and Grange Cove (all Rosslare Strand), Church View (Clongeen), Churchtown Court (Rosslare Harbour).

The absence of another Rosslare Strand estate confounded Cllr Frank Staples.

"Links Close One and Two, I’m disappointed they’re not on the priority list,” he said. “I’ve been talking about that estate since 2014; in fairness WCC has sorted out the lights and Uisce Éireann has done the sewage, so I’m not sure what might be holding it up.

Explaining that “significant funding” was required to take Links Close in charge, Mr Banville said that a site resolution plan – i.e. a formal agreement between developers, receivers, financial institutions, and the council – was needed to complete the works there.

Cllr Aoife Rose O’Brien meanwhile, was keen to see those who left with millions in their pockets answer for their crimes.

“Can we blacklist the developers behind these estates?” she asked. “There are some developers who are getting the bigger projects time and time again and they’re allowing residents to be stuck in limbo (in unfinished estates) for decades, it’s not good enough and not fair on our staff to be left having to pick up the slack.”

Cllr Carthy answered this question on Mr Banville's behalf.

“It has no effect on the developers if they leave an estate unfinished and come back to plan again, and this is because of the light touch regulations,” he said.

“We can issue a section 35 notice (a refusal for planning permission for past failures to comply) against developers who have behaved badly in the past,” said Mr Banville.

“But you’ll end up in the High Court,” added Cllr Carthy.

On the risk of similar scenarios occurring in the future, Mr Banville was confident that current legislation was more solid than in years past.

“The estates listed were built during the boom in property development in the late 90s, early 00s, there was very little regulation of developments at that time,” he said. “That situation has changed significantly, on two fronts: one, the building control regulations are there and there’s significant monitoring of developments.

"And there is a bond on every development and that’s pursued through enforcement and through the courts if necessary.”