Local developer in land dispute

Local developer in land dispute

4 January 2012

A DOWNPATRICK man fears a dispute with the Housing Executive over a small strip of land could see his tenants unable to access their homes.

Jim Gibney, who built two houses at Ardpatrick Avenue, acknowledges the land in question belongs to the Housing Executive but claims it has been hugely overvalued and he is unable to pay.

He says the houses, which he built on waste ground, would have to have part of their tarmaced driveways fenced off if the issue cannot be resolved which would only leave a small ditch-like alley to the rear of the properties for access.

“This strip was valued at £5,000 for me by a local solicitor, but the Housing Executive says it is worth £25,000 and they are going to take me to court to get it,” he said. “That alleyway would be ok if you were a marine but not for mothers with children.

“In one house there is a single mother with four children and in the other house there is a grandmother and three children.

“The issue is just the cost, I’ll borrow £5,000 or roughly the same amount.

Otherwise the residents will have to move and the ironic thing is that they are Housing Executive tenants.”

Mr. Gibney said he had been in touch with local MP Margaret Ritchie who was also supporting him in challenging the valuation.

“This was waste land and my investment in it has brought up the price,” he said.

“I feel this valuation is unfair and is just a way of making money.”

A Housing Executive spokesman said they were guided on matters of land value by the Land and Property Services within the Department of Finance and Personnel.

“They have provided an independent assessment of the value of the Housing Executive land in this case,’ he said. “As a public body, and in accordance with government regulations, the Housing Executive is required to use the Land and Property Services valuation.”