While the news of numerous new residential development planned for Enniskillen has been welcomed by many people, there are fears that rural villages throughout the county may loss out as residents opt to move to the county town.

Newtownbutler Cllr Thomas O’Reilly believes some of the homes proposed in Enniskillen will attract people from villages who may have stayed if new houses were built in rural areas. 

“I do think that 500 new houses in Enniskillen will accommodate some people who if there were new homes built in villages would have stayed,” he said. 

“We see a lot of our rural villages crumbling over the recent years, and I believe we need more homes built in villages and towns alongside more investment to create jobs. 

“We need to be helping local families to live and support local shops, schools and doctors practice. 

“There have been no new homes planned in Newtownbutler apart from the possiblity of Rural Housing building six homes sometime in the future. There are lots of sites sitting abandoned around the town awaiting that are turning into eyesores.”

In Lisbellaw, meanwhile,  Cllr Robert Irvine said there is still land available for development in the village and surrounding area. 

“The Council is in the process of trying to get a daft plan strategy which is part of the local development process,” he pointed out. 

“We are trying to make the case that we are a rural council area and we have to take on board that people do wish to live in the countryside – either in small settlements or the open rural area.”

Meanwhile in Enniskillen it’s a very different picture with new housing developments set to see a significant increase in the county town’s population.

Among the new housing schemes planned for Enniskillen is a major development of 122 houses at the Old Rectory Site on the Derrylin Road, while 95 new homes are to be built on unused land opposite the junction of Tempo Road and Old Tempo Road.