Longford town is nice

MDFM

sounds like some of ye have far too much time on yer hands judging by the last few comments..Seriously folks, look around longford and the mess that has being created by greedy developers, greedy planning officers who had their hands out for brown envelopes and they've all walked away and left a trail of destruction behind them. I would have absolutely no objection to driving a overloaded slurry tanker thro the town and ensuring adequate spillage outside some of the council offices occurred.

ballsymchugh

MDFM wrote: »

Seriously folks, look around longford and the mess that has being created by greedy developers, greedy planning officers who had their hands out for brown envelopes and they've all walked away and left a trail of destruction behind them.

i'm sure you've got excellent evidence to substantiate this statement?

MDFM

ballsymchugh wrote: »

i'm sure you've got excellent evidence to substantiate this statement?

I do actually, and i know others also have aswell. Aside from that - look around, how much more evidence do you need? Do u seriously think the council made no money out of all the ghost estates currently polluting the county? How much more evidence do u need? This is Ireland, the Celtic tiger was built on credit and brown envelopes to a certain extent and collapsed thanks to corrupt bankers, politicians,councilors and developers to name only a few..its fairly well documented now at this stage dont you think???..

ballsymchugh

MDFM wrote: »

I do actually, and i know others also have aswell. Aside from that - look around, how much more evidence do you need? Do u seriously think the council made no money out of all the ghost estates currently polluting the county? How much more evidence do u need? This is Ireland, the Celtic tiger was built on credit and brown envelopes to a certain extent and collapsed thanks to corrupt bankers, politicians,councilors and developers to name only a few..its fairly well documented now at this stage dont you think???..

why don't you publish it then? it's a pretty serious allegation to make that planning officers in longford co. co were on the take, but if you've got evidence, then make it known, with names etc.

the main reason for the massive glut of building in longford was down to the tax exemption scheme when everyone from anywhere tried to build or buy a second home to avail of it.

MDFM

ballsymchugh wrote: »

why don't you publish it then? it's a pretty serious allegation to make that planning officers in longford co. co were on the take, but if you've got evidence, then make it known, with names etc.

the main reason for the massive glut of building in longford was down to the tax exemption scheme when everyone from anywhere tried to build or buy a second home to avail of it.

No need to publish something thats already fair common knowledge among the town.

And by the way..the tax exemption scheme - its only one element of the disaster that is longford.

ballsymchugh

MDFM wrote: »

No need to publish something thats already fair common knowledge among the town.

And by the way..the tax exemption scheme - its only one element of the disaster that is longford.

i'd like to know what the common knowledge is. if you can't back it up then don't post it.

MDFM

ballsymchugh wrote: »

i'd like to know what the common knowledge is. if you can't back it up then don't post it.

as i've already posted.

opinions make a forum, i know what i know.. One example, the N4 Axis Centre/Aldi drama. U know about that one do u?

ballsymchugh

MDFM wrote: »

as i've already posted.

have you names?

MDFM

ballsymchugh wrote: »

have you names?

Do u seriously think the council made no money out of all the ghost estates currently polluting the county?

ballsymchugh

MDFM wrote: »

for what purpose, your own?

you're making a very serious allegation here, and you're not backing it up, which impies that you're talking shyte. common knowledge isn't always fact.

MDFM

ballsymchugh wrote: »

you're making a very serious allegation here, and you're not backing it up, which impies that you're talking shyte. common knowledge isn't always fact.

I gave one example above

And, like i just said
'Do u seriously think the council made no money out of all the ghost estates currently polluting the county?'
Or 'Councils' in general?
Or are you that innocent to think there was nothing underhand going on in this country?

further to my original point...Longford town is a complete mess..empty warehouse,s town centre, look at the Athlone and Strokestown roads - awash with units and destroyed land which was once agricultural land..Its an absolute disgrace to have both main entrances to a town like them..and would you really like to shake the hands of the genius’s that allowed those houses to be built in Flancare and the condemned apartment blocks along with them.., now falling down? The tax exemption scheme would have being fair game if implemented and run properly and designed in such a way that its use was to service a need for houses in an area..where was the need for housing here and in other villages such as the likes of Kenagh or even down the Ballagh road – Silver Birches? Where was the need for housing there – and if there was such a need – then provide the adequate services along with the housing to meet these needs – none of which have being meet..Profit over practicality is what is amounts to and it should never have being given planning for from day one.
A bit of slurry on the streets? who cares..there's bigger things that one should be concerned about.

ballsymchugh

MDFM wrote: »

I gave one example above

And, like i just said
'Do u seriously think the council made no money out of all the ghost estates currently polluting the county?'
Or 'Councils' in general?
Or are you that innocent to think there was nothing underhand going on in this country?

there have been tribunals that have resulted in planning officials in dublin spending time in prison for what you're alleging, so if you have evidence that it's happened in longford also, then why haven't you contacted the gardai about it? you feel very strongly about it.

MDFM

ballsymchugh wrote: »

there have been tribunals that have resulted in planning officials in dublin spending time in prison for what you're alleging, so if you have evidence that it's happened in longford also, then why haven't you contacted the gardai about it? you feel very strongly about it.

if it makes you happy then i might just do that.

ballsymchugh

MDFM wrote: »

if it makes you happy then i might just do that.

it'd be half the battle. the other half would be to support your allegations here with some of that evidence, not relying on hearsay and common knowledge about the town, with names too.

MDFM

ballsymchugh wrote: »

it'd be half the battle. the other half would be to support your allegations here with some of that evidence, not relying on hearsay and common knowledge about the town, with names too.

With all due respect..you have evidence to back it all up to the contrary that nothing under hand ever took place?
So you can justify the existance of all the waste ghost estates/warehouses/shop units etc etc...? Just a thought

Hal Emmerich

MDFM wrote: »

as i've already posted.

opinions make a forum, i know what i know.. One example, the N4 Axis Centre/Aldi drama. U know about that one do u?

What's going on with this?

I think the last I read was they were looking for permission to move some support beams or something. It is dragging on though.....

I was home last wk-end and I see Carpet right is closed up there now. Bill Gates owns a bit of them.

garfieldsghost

MDFM wrote: »

With all due respect..you have evidence to back it all up to the contrary that nothing under hand ever took place?
So you can justify the existance of all the waste ghost estates/warehouses/shop units etc etc...? Just a thought

With all due respect, the onus is on you to prove what you've alleged is true. If you're going to utter it in a public forum, you should be able to back it up. And that's not just a thought, it's a fact.

Hal Emmerich

garfieldsghost wrote: »

With all due respect, the onus is on you to prove what you've alleged is true. If you're going to utter it in a public forum, you should be able to back it up. And that's not just a thought, it's a fact.

yep.

Deregos

MDFM wrote: »

sounds like some of ye have far too much time on yer hands judging by the last few comments..Seriously folks, look around longford and the mess that has being created by greedy developers, greedy planning officers who had their hands out for brown envelopes and they've all walked away and left a trail of destruction behind them. I would have absolutely no objection to driving a overloaded slurry tanker thro the town and ensuring adequate spillage outside some of the council offices occurred.

I see good old fashioned speculation & generalization is alive & well & living in Mullingar then . . :rolleyes:

And it seems from reading through your posts, so is the hunting & killing of small animals . . .And you say I've got to much time on my hands . .:mad:

Get your facts right pal . .

And get a life . . .

MDFM

Deregos wrote: »

I see good old fashioned speculation & generalization is alive & well & living in Mullingar then . . :rolleyes:

And it seems from reading through your posts, so is the hunting & killing of small animals . . .And you say I've got to much time on my hands . .:mad:

Get your facts right pal . .

And get a life . . .

?Whats mullingar got to do with it?? hunting/killing of small animals??? what are u on about it? ???? PAL!

MDFM

garfieldsghost wrote: »

With all due respect, the onus is on you to prove what you've alleged is true. If you're going to utter it in a public forum, you should be able to back it up. And that's not just a thought, it's a fact.

So tell me...the empty ghost estates, the empty houses, units, shopping centre etc...who's responsible for allowing their existance in the 1st place and once you turn the sod on a development of any sort, how much cash u hand over to the council before u turn that sod..do u think its justified the council have pocketed all that money and such estates now empty, unfinished...where has the money gone? why not use it to aid either finishing those estates or pulling them down or are you happy to leave longford in the mess that it is - a visual pollutant?

garfieldsghost

MDFM wrote: »

So tell me...the empty ghost estates, the empty houses, units, shopping centre etc...who's responsible for allowing their existance in the 1st place and once you turn the sod on a development of any sort, how much cash u hand over to the council before u turn that sod..do u think its justified the council have pocketed all that money and such estates now empty, unfinished...where has the money gone? why not use it to aid either finishing those estates or pulling them down or are you happy to leave longford in the mess that it is - a visual pollutant?

I'm not disagreeing with the fact that the ghost estates are a horrid mess but, like I said previously, if you're going to throw out allegations then you should be prepared to back them up. Otherwise you end up sounding like a crackpot conspiracy theorist.

ballsymchugh

MDFM wrote: »

So tell me...the empty ghost estates, the empty houses, units, shopping centre etc...who's responsible for allowing their existance in the 1st place and once you turn the sod on a development of any sort, how much cash u hand over to the council before u turn that sod..do u think its justified the council have pocketed all that money and such estates now empty, unfinished...where has the money gone? why not use it to aid either finishing those estates or pulling them down or are you happy to leave longford in the mess that it is - a visual pollutant?

MDFM, earlier in the thread you alleged that planning officials took brown envelopes from developers. you have not backed up that allegation.

you may be confusing this with development charges, which are a condition of EVERY planning decision granted by the council to allow for connection to public services, such as lighting, water, sewerage, maintenance. this is usually paid on completion of the development, so to answer your question as to where has all the money gone.... well, nowhere. it wasn't there in the first place.

now, care to substantiate your ridiculous allegations that some officials are on the take??
if you don't, you could land this site in some trouble.

baldbear

The below story shows what happened in longford. Co. councillor getting greedy. IMO a major conflict of interests. I never trusted Kilbride after his "Do you know who I am, you can't do me for drink driving", episode..

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/country-star-in-bitter-row-over-euro1m-ghost-estate-2307276.html

Did county councillors make the decision regarding planning permission for estates?

ballsymchugh

baldbear wrote: »

The below story shows what happened in longford. Co. councillor getting greedy. IMO a major conflict of interests. I never trusted Kilbride after his "Do you know who I am, you can't do me for drink driving", episode..

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/country-star-in-bitter-row-over-euro1m-ghost-estate-2307276.html

Did county councillors make the decision regarding planning permission for estates?

no, final say is with the county manager. he has to sign off on it. he can listen to concerns from them at council meetings but that's as much of a say as they'll get. most planning applications will only be refused if there are strong objections to it, which can be aired at those meetings. someone can also object privately and it can then take the long windy road to an bord pleanála.

Crann na Beatha

This post has been deleted.

ballsymchugh

jaysis, a mod in the longford forum!!

are those my feet?

UrbanMonkey

Longford is a nice town...I don't understand why it has such a bad reputation! Because it has a few ruff spots? Just like every other town in Ireland? ...Yeah.
The majority of these idiots saying Longford is a kip are from the West of Ireland and are driving through Longford to get to Dublin...First of all, the West of Ireland? ...Enough said.
And secondly, you're just driving through the place. You basically know nothing about it!

And don't worry your little heads, the N5 bypass is under construction at the moment, so your slurry trucks etc. won't be coming through town anymore! Thank God!

silver campaign

MDFM wrote: »

I gave one example above

And, like i just said
'Do u seriously think the council made no money out of all the ghost estates currently polluting the county?'
Or 'Councils' in general?
Or are you that innocent to think there was nothing underhand going on in this country?

further to my original point...Longford town is a complete mess..empty warehouse,s town centre, look at the Athlone and Strokestown roads - awash with units and destroyed land which was once agricultural land..Its an absolute disgrace to have both main entrances to a town like them..and would you really like to shake the hands of the genius’s that allowed those houses to be built in Flancare and the condemned apartment blocks along with them.., now falling down? The tax exemption scheme would have being fair game if implemented and run properly and designed in such a way that its use was to service a need for houses in an area..where was the need for housing here and in other villages such as the likes of Kenagh or even down the Ballagh road – Silver Birches? Where was the need for housing there – and if there was such a need – then provide the adequate services along with the housing to meet these needs – none of which have being meet..Profit over practicality is what is amounts to and it should never have being given planning for from day one.
A bit of slurry on the streets? who cares..there's bigger things that one should be concerned about.

Technically, this isn't a Ghost estate, it's an unfinished estate. Of 56 houses, 5 are unfinished. Of the other 51 finished houses, there is an occupancy rate of 75%, so I would argue that there was a need for housing there, as people are obviously living there.
It's estates like Battery court and Carriglass Manor that are proper ghost estates with less than 5% of homes occupied if any at all.

Misty Midlands

MDFM wrote: »

I gave one example above

further to my original point...Longford town is a complete mess..empty warehouse,s town centre, look at the Athlone and Strokestown roads - awash with units and destroyed land which was once agricultural land..Its an absolute disgrace to have both main entrances to a town like them..and would you really like to shake the hands of the genius’s that allowed those houses to be built in Flancare and the condemned apartment blocks along with them.., now falling down? The tax exemption scheme would have being fair game if implemented and run properly and designed in such a way that its use was to service a need for houses in an area..where was the need for housing here and in other villages such as the likes of Kenagh or even down the Ballagh road – Silver Birches? Where was the need for housing there – and if there was such a need – then provide the adequate services along with the housing to meet these needs – none of which have being meet..Profit over practicality is what is amounts to and it should never have being given planning for from day one.
A bit of slurry on the streets? who cares..there's bigger things that one should be concerned about.

MDFM wrote: »

So tell me...the empty ghost estates, the empty houses, units, shopping centre etc...who's responsible for allowing their existance in the 1st place and once you turn the sod on a development of any sort, how much cash u hand over to the council before u turn that sod..do u think its justified the council have pocketed all that money and such estates now empty, unfinished...where has the money gone? why not use it to aid either finishing those estates or pulling them down or are you happy to leave longford in the mess that it is - a visual pollutant?

I have to say I agree with both the above posts. It's a total disgrace the way Longford has been littered with estates,the Athlone Rd./Strokestown Rd. are an eyesore. A lot of the other estates are turned into ghettos,take a look in the estate at Flancare(where condemned apartments are) also DunDarragh (off the Dublin Rd) they are ghettos full of undesirables on rent allowance living in 4 bed houses for free .

Longford didn't need estates to house the whole world, Longford needed to attract industry,factories,offices and working people to the town.
Working people bring life to an area, Athlone is indeed an example of that.
The local Council just grabbed all the money for planning permission and built thousands of houses, now they can't even get enough people from around the world on rent allowance to fill them.