'Exceptional' road issue in Tyrone resolved after four decades

While it has no responsibility for roads, Mid Ulster District Council called on its ‘General Power of Competence’ for the first time to solve a road issue at a housing development in the town, ensuring the road and footpaths at Curran Terrace could be brought to an acceptable standard for the first time in 40 years.

Ownership of the road had never been established, meaning it had never been part of the public road network or been maintained by any roads authority.

The situation had left residents with no avenue to seek repairs to the road or footpaths at their homes.

The Council agreed to deal with the disrepair using its ‘General Power of Competence’, a new power arising from the reform of local government in April 2015 allowing a local authority ‘to do anything that individuals generally may do’ which it considers to be for the benefit of the Council, district or residents.

The new power gives the Council scope to deal with issues in special circumstances which would normally fall outside of its remit.

Marking the completion of the project, Chair of the Council, Councillor Sean McPeake, said :“These were unique and exceptional circumstances which left local residents literally with nowhere to turn to solve a decades-old problem, while access to their homes became increasingly hazardous through no fault of their own.

“While no other statutory authority could find a solution, the Council could intervene using its new power, together with a substantial investment of £95,000, which has allowed the situation to be resolved finally”.

The work has brought the road at Curran Terrace to an adoptable standard.