After years of waiting... Work finally begins to complete unfinished Derry housing estate

Work has begun on the completion of a housing development in Derry which had been left unfinished after the developer went into administration.

The Derry News revealed in March of last year how residents of Copperthorpe in the Drumahoe area of the Waterside had been told that they would have to pay out of their own pockets for the roads and footpaths outside their homes to be completed.

Homeowners were left in the situation after DAB Developments, formerly known as Brookview Developments, was placed into administration a number of years ago.

DAB's main asset was its share of the Copperthorpe development, the first two phases of which were started in 2009, comprising of 76 properties.

Planning permission was then granted for Phase 3 of the street comprising of 50 homes.

In such situations, a developer would enter into an agreement with Transport NI, the government department responsible for the maintenance of roads, sewage, paths and street lights.

Once the development was completed, the developer would ensure that roads, pathways and sewerage was finished to the required standard, and would be charged with looking after the street for a year.

Then, after carrying out a check-up, and if the street was finished to the required standard, Transport NI would adopt the area and take over responsibility for its upkeep.

For this to happen, the developer would be required to put up a sum of money, known as a bond, to pay for any outstanding work to be completed by Transport NI should the developer default.

However, Transport NI has revealed that the developer went into administration before the bond was agreed.

At the time, the then Transport Minister Danny Kennedy said that if the street was to be brought up to the standard required for adoption, the residents would have to pay for it themselves.

Frustrated householders were then forced to contend with living beside incomplete homes, unfinished pathways and broken kerbs.

However, following lobbying by the Waterside SDLP councillor Martin Reilly, residents received the welcome news last week that NI Water are to begin works to improve the sewer network up to the level needed for the area to be adopted.

In addition, builders are now on site at Phase 3 with a view to completing the development.

Cllr Reilly (pictured) said the news would be a ‘relief’ to residents of Copperthorpe.

“There is now positive progress being made in bringing the Copperthorpe estate in Drumahoe, which has been in administration for a number of years, up to an adoptable standard,” Cllr Reilly said.

“Over many years, residents in the various three phases of Copperthorpe have been seeking progress to ensure that the area in which they bought their homes were finished appropriately.

“After a lengthy and protracted process, I therefore welcome builders on-site now to finish works in Phase 3 of the development.

“I am delighted that eventually we are seeing positive progress for residents in the area.

“Indeed, having spoken to them, I know how much they value having an area which is safe for their children to go out and play in.”

He added: “Phases 1 and 2 of this development will also need to be completed to the satisfaction of residents in the area – which remains under the remit of the Department for Infrastructure (DfI)”

Cllr Reilly concluded: “I therefore welcome recent confirmation from NI Water that they will begin works to improve the sewer network this month which will then allow Transport NI to progress the site towards final adoption.”