Ballyhornan action plan to be drawn up by bodies

Ballyhornan action plan to be drawn up by bodies

24 October 2012

DOWN Council is seeking a high level meeting with government officials to determine a good action plan for Ballyhornan, which is one of the most deprived villages in Northern Ireland.

The council’s Culture and Economic Development Committee made the recommendation at its monthly meeting last week following a presentation of the village’s new action plan by Mr. Paul Tully from consultancy firm URS.

The plan, which is principally funded by Down Rural Area Partnership, is one of a number of plans created for local villages in a bid to determine how funding would be best spent for development and how the community would like their village’s improved.

Mr. Tully explained to councillors that Ballyhornan had a “unique” set of circumstances that would make it difficult to adequately develop without significant funding.

He said these difficulties centred on the lack of adequate infrastructure in the village, particularly in the region of Killard Square where accommodation built by the Ministry of Defence is now privately occupied.

He said the roads and the layout of the development were inadequate but would be very difficult to address due to issues of ownership. He also said there was an issue with raw sewage being discharged into the sea at Ballyhornan and said it was difficult to get organisations to take ownership of much of the area’s infrastructure.

“Hanging baskets will not be the solution for Ballyhornan,” said Mr. Tully.

“The village has major problems with its infrastructure, particularly the area of Killard Square. Anything is possible, with money you could provide the infrastructure to try to make the best out of a bad layout in the area.

“If you were starting out again you would not build a housing development like that. It is not up to current standards in terms of layout.

“The village would lend itself to two separate village areas at Ringawaddy and at the coast.”

Mr. Tully explained the area would require an investment of almost £5.5m to fulfil updates needed to its infrastructure as detailed in the village plan.

Committee chairwoman Mrs. Anne McAleenan said Ballyhornan was a “horrendous place to live on occasions” and was an area all councillors would take an interest in developing for the quality of life of its residents.

The committee recommended setting up a high level meeting with government ministers with a view to creating a task force to develop an improved village.

The issue will go before the next full meeting of Down Council.