Housing Developments Meath

HomeHunter

Hi
I am looking at a number of housing developments in Meath (Navan and Kells), as you get more house and open space for your euro then in Dublin.
A couple of housing estates I have visited have been
Tubberclaire Meadows, Old Road Athlumeny, Navan
Killian Court, Mullagh, Kells
Limekiln Hall, Dublin Road, Navan

Tubberclaire Meadows and Killian Court, I would appreciate some feed back from the residents of these estates if possible? Driving around toward the back of the estates there appears to be a lot on unkept open spaces and unbuilt homes but the foundations viewable… however there where no builders onsite?? What is the community sprit like and is the estate children friendly

Limekiln Hall, is a completed estate which appears to kept well maintained. What is the community sprit like and is the estate children friendly… there where no children around the midweek day I was up having a look…

CUCINA

Have you considered Dunshaughlin? You'd still get more bang for your buck compared to Dublin, but you would be that much nearer to the city compared to Navan or Kells.
(I live in Dunshaughlin and I'd say it ticks all the boxes you've indicated in your post).

Fiskar

OP,

Tubercare is a recent estate, the estate next to it Bailis Manor is a quiet estate and would say Tubercare is full of couples (1st time buyers). Don't know what the open space sizes are for play and whether they can be seen from the house.
Other estates worth a look for quality housing are Athlumney Castle, Bailis Manor and Athlumney village (1 house for sale).
In general this side of town is quiet with a lot of the kids hitting the 8 /9 yr mark and in local football clubs.
Limekiln hill is a quiet area again of recent build (10 years). It has good variety of housing, again don't know about open spaces. it is near to the hotel, rugby and tennis clubs.

As regards Dunshauglin, it is what it is and Navan is a town with all mod cons IMO.

Rafa1977

Thought I would try and hijack this post!!. Am also looking to buy in Navan, and have been viewing property in Tara Court, Balreask Woods, and Priory Park Johnstown. What are peoples general opinions of these areas. From the times that I have been viewing these places I would have to say Tara Court area is the nicest, its seems to be a lot quiter and less built up compared to Johnstown and Balreask.

Tubberclaire

Stay away from Killian Court Mullagh - I have been contacted by a resident there and a apparantly the houses are falling apart! It could be to do with this pyrite thing that was in the news this week.

I am a resident in Tubberclaire Meadows since September 2009. The estate is a very quiet estate indeed. Yes it is mainly couples, but there are a lot of young families in the area too. In my cul de sac 4 families have moved in and from what I can see children being children, made their friendship quickly whilst out playing and now they are having a ball! To me that would be child friendly.

However, as you have mentioned, no building work has taken place in the estate since January 2010, and there are numerous issues (landscaping, roads, lighting, fencing, security) in the estate which we are trying to get the developer to sort out for a long time now, but they are not budging. The last we heard they are trying to secure funding to start and build numerous houses and finish off the estate - whether that will happen soon I do not know. At the moment we are trying to push the developer for garauntees if they get the funding they will sort out all of the issues.

On top of this the developer has handed the estate over to a management agency DPS - although a management agency was wrote into the contracts we did not expect them to be put in place while the estate is unfinished. No fee has been finalised yet, but it is coming. At the moment the management agency is a go between for the residents and the developer, and I believe their have been some heated exchanges between residents and DPS for months now and you have guessed right, still nothing has been done in the estate.

There are no new houses left in the estate. If they do build be careful where you buy in the estate and get a structural surveyor in to check the foundation. Multiple foundations have been laid at the end of 2009 and have been left exposed since. Once heat goes on them, they have the potential to crack.

Also - Look into LAP4 devlopment plan in Navan - applications has been submitted to Meath county council
http://www.meath.ie/eplan41/FileRefDetails.aspx?file_number=nt900087&LASiteID=3

This is on lands surrounding Tubberclaire Meadows - but with recent decisions in Navan going against big developments there is a possibility that this development may be refused or in some way reduced dramatically. So keep an eye on this before you buy in Athlumney, Boyne Road, Farganstown area

Despite this Tubberclaire Meadows is quiet estate - with spacious green areas. The area to me is child friendly, and although it is a new estate, and communities take time to establish themselves, I believe there are a great number of good people in the estate that could make this possible. Most of us have taken an interest in the estate and fighting the developer and DPS to deliever on promises made.

The houses themselves are well built and easily maintained. I have recently looked for schools and I have found numerous good schools in the area. But I'm an early starter looking for schools in the area so do not trust my judgement yet! If you work in Dublin well then use the N2 - Only a 45 minute drive in the morning if you leave at 7. Buses from Navan town are frequent but this service has dwindled and it has forced me to driving. I will not use public transport again until the train comes in (2015)

If you decide to buy in the estate get everything wrote into your contract and don't budge until everything is completed on your snag.

If you can try and find out from the developer when building will recommence with some well worded queries and post back

Regarding Jnstown I would avoid. Looks like us Dubs brought our problems with us

Hope you find the house you are looking for

Tubberclaire Meadows

Fiskar

I am running a thread in a similar vein to what you have wrote Tubberclaire. There is a serious issue in Navan, the county and across ireland with unfinished estates.
This is the link to it, you are welcome to link your post to it. I am trying to open debate to the issue as well as hear sucess stories!


http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055836186&goto=newpost

The use of a management company is both COP out by the council and the developer and puts in place a new type of situation where the council don't ever have to take charge of the development.

billy few mates

It was a condition for planning permission that the residents of my estate set up a managment company to run the estate but we managed to get it overturned quite easily.
Local authorities are no longer allowed to make this a condition for PP, and where they have in the past they now have to overturn it if requested by the residents and take the estate in charge.
We were one of the first estates to do it so the local authority were a bit unsure of the procedures, we effictively coached them through it.
It means that instead of having to set up (or employ) a managment company charging us hundreds of pounds per year in fees we have a residents association looking after the maintenance of the estate and the residents (most of them) contribute €50 per year per household.....

As soon as you quote this letter doors start opening.....

http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/DevelopmentandHousing/Planning/FileDownLoad,16779,en.pdf

Fiskar

That's another letter I have tucked away somewhere. Yes that letter would make a requirement for county councils to tke over the running of estates.
At one stage a year ago a councillor quoted to me that 43 estates in Navan were yet to be taken into charge.
Its very rare to hear of estates being taken over by the council. Buyer must beware but very often they cannot find this out before purchase.

Tubberclaire

Thanks very much for that BFM! This is the first time I saw this letter and it will come in handy.

Only thing is will the council take our estate on board in its current state, with the new news that the developer of our estate has gone in to examinership??

Fiskar

Tubberclaire wrote: »

Thanks very much for that BFM! This is the first time I saw this letter and it will come in handy.

Only thing is will the council take our estate on board in its current state, with the new news that the developer of our estate has gone in to examinership??

It works a number of ways, bad news is that your estate is very much unfinished, planning permission has probably not run out of time and the estate will be bottom of the pile of estates ahead of it to be taken into charge.

The simple process works as follows, Last house on planning is built, then the developer has 5 years to apply for the estate to be taken into charge.

The medium messy process is, Last house on planning is built, then the developer has 5 years to apply for the estate to be taken into charge. If he does not make the request, then the majority of residents in the estate can elect to have the estate taken into charge by the council, council technically have 2 years beyound the five years in which to do so.

The very messy process is, Last house on planning is not built, the developer continues to build one or two houses per year granted on the original permission and at the end of 10 years since the grant of permission has 5 years to apply for the estate to be taken into charge. If he does not make the request, then the majority of residents in the estate can elect to have the estate taken into charge by the council, council technically have 2 years beyound the five years in which to do so.

This last statement is not fully true but close to the reality and why some estates in Navan built in the 1980's still have not been taken into charge (including my own).

If you know a councillor then you can find out where you stand but in reality they don't want to get involved in these messy planning issues.

In fairness Gormley is trying to close off these developer and council loopholes, sadly too late for us.

Tubberclaire

Thanks for that Fiskar...somehow I feel that there's a daunting task ahead of us. I hope to hear back from a county councillor soon, so hopefully we'll be able to do something about this mess the estate is in.

Another thing that may force the hand of the councillors is in a few years time property taxes and water charges etc will be coming in, they have to be shown to give back something in return, in our case the upkeep and maintenance of an estate.

Just a point to note in my first post - I'm a year ahead of myself.....I've been a resident since September 2008, no building work has taken place since January 2009, and the last foundations were laid in the estate in late 2008

Fiskar

Tubberclaire wrote: »

Thanks for that Fiskar...somehow I feel that there's a daunting task ahead of us. I hope to hear back from a county councillor soon, so hopefully we'll be able to do something about this mess the estate is in.

Another thing that may force the hand of the councillors is in a few years time property taxes and water charges etc will be coming in, they have to be shown to give back something in return, in our case the upkeep and maintenance of an estate.

Just a point to note in my first post - I'm a year ahead of myself.....I've been a resident since September 2008, no building work has taken place since January 2009, and the last foundations were laid in the estate in late 2008

Thought you were a resident from 2008 all right as nothing is moving on the construction end in 2009!
A point of note, in order to get the best from your meeting with the councillor you will need to set up a residents association with at least 3 to 4 members. The council and councillors take more interest. You need a chairperson, secretary and treasurer. With a committee in place you can apply for amenity grants and other items as I indicate on the links below.

There are three to 5 working associations in your area, you can PM me for more information.

http://www.meath.ie/LocalAuthorities/NewsandEvents/Name,40633,en.html

http://www.meath.ie/LocalAuthorities/NewsandEvents/Name,40498,en.html

There is a clean-up week being organised in April, no details as yet

Tubberclaire

It has been confirmed that developer Lavelle & McAlinden have gone into Receivership and KPMG have been appointed.

A lot of my part of the estate is still in a bundle and not finished to any standard - this will be a huge task to take on and convince residents to contribute - but the wheels are already in motion and there's a group of us getting together over the next few days to discuss these issues and where to go to next. One of our aims as well is to setup a residents association.

The main issues for now is of my own interest. We do not know what state the management company is in, and the developers solicitor told us to contact KPMG as they are now in control. So we do not know if we'll be able to sell our houses in future and we do not know if any monies in the company account paid into by the residents when we bought the houses is safe

My next aim now is to contact my solicitor, see if we can remove that clause so we will be able to sell our house in future with no difficulties....and to see where we stand by obtaining any monies in that company account to an account in control by the residents.

MY ADVICE TO ANYONE THAT MAY HAVE ANY DEPOSITES DOWN FOR A HOUSE DEVELOPED BY LAVELLE & MCALINDEN TO CONTACT THEIR SOLICITOR AND TRY AND GET THAT BACK.

On top of this now we now have an element of anti social behaviour. Gurads and fire brigade I believe were called as a group of teenagers set fire to materials at the back of the estate left their by the developers Lavelle & McAlinden and also set fire to a mound of dried grass! Witnesses have said that the teenagers in question ran off to a neighbouring estate.

As a result we hope to get secure fencing in place around the site and hopefully speak to residents in one of the neighbouring estates to get laneways or openings sealed off permenantly between the two estates

new resident

Tubberclaire wrote: »

It has been confirmed that developer Lavelle & McAlinden have gone into Receivership and KPMG have been appointed.

A lot of my part of the estate is still in a bundle and not finished to any standard - this will be a huge task to take on and convince residents to contribute - but the wheels are already in motion and there's a group of us getting together over the next few days to discuss these issues and where to go to next. One of our aims as well is to setup a residents association.

The main issues for now is of my own interest. We do not know what state the management company is in, and the developers solicitor told us to contact KPMG as they are now in control. So we do not know if we'll be able to sell our houses in future and we do not know if any monies in the company account paid into by the residents when we bought the houses is safe

My next aim now is to contact my solicitor, see if we can remove that clause so we will be able to sell our house in future with no difficulties....and to see where we stand by obtaining any monies in that company account to an account in control by the residents.

MY ADVICE TO ANYONE THAT MAY HAVE ANY DEPOSITES DOWN FOR A HOUSE DEVELOPED BY LAVELLE & MCALINDEN TO CONTACT THEIR SOLICITOR AND TRY AND GET THAT BACK.

On top of this now we now have an element of anti social behaviour. Gurads and fire brigade I believe were called as a group of teenagers set fire to materials at the back of the estate left their by the developers Lavelle & McAlinden and also set fire to a mound of dried grass! Witnesses have said that the teenagers in question ran off to a neighbouring estate.

As a result we hope to get secure fencing in place around the site and hopefully speak to residents in one of the neighbouring estates to get laneways or openings sealed off permenantly between the two estates

I have recently put down a deposit in tubberclaire meadows for a two bedroom house. It is only a holding deposit and I am thinking of pulling out after reading this. It is around the finished part of the estate and I'm buying off the reciever KPMG but I am starting to think I could be bringing a lot of hassle on myself. What would you recommend as a resident?

Tubberclaire

Hi there,

This is a difficult one to call. In a way I would say move in, just because it is a decent area. But unfortunately we do not know if the estate is going to be finished to a presentable state. As it stands where you are looking to move in is in an extremely poor state as it is literally a building site and a lot of work needs to be done around there.

As far as I am aware one of the reps in the cul de sac's nearest yours is pushing the management company DPS to get a number of issues sorted out, the main ones being landscaping and security (fencing), and a cleanup of building materials that have been left behind by the builder - these issues that are in need of attention are around where you are looking to move in. The rep is also concentrating on landscaping and fencing as well in the cul de sac just before the back of the estate where you are

If I could confirm that these issues could be sorted then I say yes definitely move in. But at the moment DPS still have not heard from KPMG on how to proceed - either L&M finish the estate, or council bonds are drawn down from the council to finish the estate off to a presentable state (landscaping, roads, security, cleanup) and I believe we should be pushing for more issues to be covered by the bond.

At the moment you have probably noticed that no maintenance has been done either - we hope to have the grass cut at least within a month or so, but the reps are working with DPS on that

I will contact the rep to see if there is any further update, and I'll post up.

The Tubberclaire Meadows estate has potential to become an established well sought after area, but only if the estate is finished off to some sort of standard.

My only advice if you do decide to move in is to try and get as many garauntees with KPMG wrote in on your contract - ie snagging. You do not know what state your house will be in and you want to have some sort of comeback. Homebond security means feck all at the moment as they have no money and in this time you need as much protection as you can get through your solicitor

As soon as I know more what is happening with the estate ie - maintenance, finishing off, L&M's position etc I'll post up.

It's unfortunate you are in this position. But you know what your gut feeling is about the situation.

If you can hold out for another month or so with a garauntee that you will get your money back if you pull out then I say hang on.

new resident

Thank you for the info. I have Pm'ed you with more information but I'm not sure if it sent. Let me know if you got it, thank you

Tubberclaire

Those of you keeping an eye on the progress at Tubberclaire Meadows you will probably have noticed the 4 units at the back of the estate are nearing completion (Units 120 - 123)

1) I would strongly advise along with your other snags, to include and ensure the cobblelock driveway is completed as this is in the original design. All residents who are resident on this half of the estate expected the cobblelock driveways to be put in place. We are still waiting. You maybe able to get yours if you include them in the snag.

2) The green space located in front of units 120 to 123 is still not complete to any standard and at present the residents do not know where we stand with all unfinished green areas in the estate. Perhaps you may be able to push to get the green in front of house 120 to 123 finished to some sort of standard.

All the best

adelcrowsmel

Hey guys,

Just wondering if any of you have an update on Tubberclaire these days - just wondering a few years down the line what the estate has turned out to be like. any problems surfaced in the years gone by or would you still recommend it as a place to live?

Any info appreciated as I am looking at a house there at the moment and on the surface things look good but I would love to hear from any residents?

amos13

I gotta say I'm disappointed reading this, I am 6 years living in TM and it is a great estate, there is no antisocial behaviour! The estate is split into two, on the left when you drive in is finished but the road needs resurfacing, and on the right there's still work to be done but the building site section is completely boarded off from the finished residential section. I understand this poster may have been frustrated with getting some work finished but to paint TM in such a bad light is shocking, its a lovely secluded quiet place to live and I've literally never encountered anti social behaviour in my six years here. I wasn't even aware of this apparent fire and if it did occur its certainly a once off.

TaDo

Hi, any update on estate, any issues?

poker--addict

Most of the houses completed now after some time left incomplete. Possibly a small number left to do.