Irvinestown Main Street
WITH IRVINESTOWN in full festival form this week, the community in the town has even more reason to celebrate after a major new housing development was given the green light.
Planning has been approved, subject to conditions, for the construction of 68 new houses in the town.
The development is planned for the Lisnarick Road, to the immediate west of St Paul’s Primary School.
In a report to the Council’s planning committee it states the development will be a mix of detached and semi-detached homes, and a row of six terraced two storey buildings.
The finishes of the houses will be a mix of red brick, render, stone and blue slate roof tiles.
Planning had previously been approved for the development in 2014, however this expired at the beginning of July.
The announcement has been welcomed locally, with it being seen as a show of support for the future of the town.
Jenny Irvine, CEO of the Arc Healthy Living Centre said developments such as this, which were suited to families, really helped sustain schools, businesses, and other services in the community.
“We’ve two primary schools in the town that do have good numbers, and there’s also the secondary school that for a long time has been under threat,” she said. “So we want to see development in the town.”
Boost for town
“It’s good as well because at the height of the market properties were so expensive and it was very difficult for local people to acquire property,” she continued, adding the knock-on benefit for tradesmen such as painters, plasterers and plumbers was also welcome.
Ms Irvine herself moved to Irvinestown from Enniskillen 18 years ago. She said she and her family had found the community very warm and welcoming from the moment they arrived.
“It is a great community with great people, great childcare facilities, and really good community spirit and really good cooperation,” she said.
“I think communities that don’t welcome in new people are very insular, and I think Irvinestown certainly does.”
One objection had been raised to the development by a resident from across the Lisnarick Road, where it is planned for.
The objector stated there was no longer a demand or need for additional housing in the town and said the site should remain as farm land.
They added the proposed development was too dense and would create too much traffic.
The Council planner rejected these claims.
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