Roxboro’ landbank could lead to jobs
THE city manager, Tom Mackey, has confirmed that NAMA is “very anxious to activate a viable business plan for the Opera Centre site”.
He has also revealed that a site located across from the Maldron Hotel in Roxboro, has attracted very positive interest that could lead to the generation of a substantial amount of jobs.
Mr Mackey has told city councillors that he is going to put the site out to tender
His disclosure comes following Cllr Ger Fahy’s ongoing campaign to bring mixed development to Toppins Field which has become a centre for continuous anti-social activity.
Mr Mackey also told the meeting that the council is examining “ways to establish a link route from the area into the city centre”.
In response to calls from Cllr Joe Leddin, Cllr Kevin Kiely and other councillors that positive steps be instigated with NAMA regarding the upkeep of the Opera Centre site, Mr Mackey said:
“I agree with the councillors’ concerns regarding the Opera |Centre – we had high hopes for the site but the timing was against us as the steam had one out of the Celtic Tiger.
“We can use all the law available to us to prevent any danger occurring to the public from the derelict buildings on the site, and we’ve had meetings with the development company concerned to ensure that rodent control is being maintained, but the dilemma is that the site is not ours and we can’t ensure that the developer will build on it.
“However, we are actively examining ways of putting the ground floors of the buildings into use – the issue is at a delicate stage, so I can’t go into it more just now.”
Mr Mackey said he has been speaking with “people very high up in NAMA.
“They’ve been here in the city and have inspected the site – they will be more than happy to talk to anyone interested in developing it but it’s not easy to get the banks to fund major developments at the moment.
“I would say that anyone with any solid influence with the government might take this up and push it forward.”
In response to Cllr Joe Leddin who asked if there is an actual business plan in existence, Mr Mackey said:
“I think you could be right that there is a plan – I understand that NAMA is very anxious to move this forward.”
Following reports of rodent infestation last week, the council has confirmed that it has served dereliction notices on the site.
