THE values of houses in Prince Andrew Terrace in Derrygonnelly ‘remain unaffected’, according to a local estate agent, as a campaign begins to change the name of the street.
Cllr Anthony Feely recently called on Fermanagh and Omagh District Council to consider whether it could rename the street, after residents spoke of their ‘embarrassment’ of living in the area.
It comes after King Charles III confirmed that his brother Andrew, who has been linked to convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, was to be stripped of his ‘Prince’ title.
Niall Smyth, from Smyth Leslie & Co estate agents, said the ongoing debate over the change of street name won’t affect the values of properties and houses.
“Prince Andrew Terrace is a well-established and respected residential area within the village of Derrygonnelly, having played an important role in the community through its lifetime,” Mr Smyth told the ‘Herald.
“The terrace has long provided homes for many families and continues to do so today, underlining its significance to village life.
“For local residents, the name has never been an issue in day-to-day life. What truly defines the area is its strong sense of community and the stability it offers to generations of families.
“As such, its longstanding contribution to the village far outweighs any concern about its name and the value of each home remains unaffected,” he added.
Residents concerns
Cllr Feely said he had been contacted by residents living in Prince Andrew Terrace to see if the street name could be changed.
“Residents aren’t happy with their street being named after a man with so many serious allegations against him. I’ve seen a lot of other councils are doing something similar as that which I’m proposing,” he said.
“I brought this issue up a while back when rumours started to surface abut this man’s actions and I was told legislation had to be changed, so now is the time to do that.”
Council Chief Executive, Alison McCullagh, said it’s “not going to be without complications” to change the street name.
“We will make representations as a number of other councils are doing similar. It may be there is collective piece across the sector,” she said,
“We have council policy on new developments and an update can be provided on that.
“While not underestimating residents concerns, this could take some time just to allow matters to progress and it’s not going to be without complications as it encompasses mortgages and other priority-holding.”
