Council won't allow development of Stereame lands until 'market is right'

Potential exists for hundreds of houses to be developed on zoned lands close to the Stereame retail park in Nenagh, but as yet there are no firm proposals for dwellings on the site.
The lands have been purchased by Tipperary County Council who have been in talks with developers about building houses in the locality.
Nenagh Municipal District Manager Marcus O' Connor told councillors at their February meeting that the council was open to proposals to build houses at Stereame. "But people are telling us the market is not right yet," he said.
Mr O' Connor indicated that the council has set certain standards when it came to developers coming forward with proposals to build on the site. "We did not acquire the land for the first fella that comes knocking on our door. This is very valuable land for the development of the town," he said.
The decision of the council to acquire the land has paved the way for the Eire Óg GAA club to purchase some of the lands to develop extra pitches and a walking track at the location.
Mr O' Connor said this had happened because the council on purchasing the lands was then in a position to take the lead on how they were developed.
Councillors were told earlier by District Administrator Rosemary Joyce that among the aims the council had for the site were to attract further hightech companies to locate there, to build a digital hub and innovation centre and create a mix of high quality private and social affordable housing.
Mr O' Connor said consultants had been appointed to progress the development of the digital hub.
He said the purchase of the site by the council meant the local authority was in a position to offer the fiserv company (formerly First Data) extra lands in the event of an expansion of their existing operations in the locality. Councillors were told that there were currently 165 employees in the plant.
Mr O' Connor was responding to Councillor Seamus Morris who had submitted a motion calling on Nenagh Municipal Authority to forward the council-owned lands at Stereame to the Land Development Agency to deliver on the master plan for the site, which incorporates house building.
Said Councillor Morris: "The site has been offered to private developers but there has been no interest from them, so it is important that this site would strengthen the housing (both sociable and affordable) and economic capability of Nenagh."
Mr O' Connor told Councillor Morris that he was aware the purpose of his motion was well intentioned. "I have no problem making contact with the Land Development Agency but we [the council] want to be in control of what is happening."
Mr O' Connor said the council had shown leadership in deciding to purchase the site, where "the land had been sitting for a long time." The council's aim now was to use it in a way that was right for Nenagh.