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Wednesday, November 06, 2002
Tubbercurry on cusp of major population growth
By: Terry Reilly
THE population of Tubbercurry will double over the next ten years, predicts local auctioneer and Chamber of Commerce member Roger McCarrick.
The town currently has a population of around 1,000 but major developments such as the one-stop shop for the local authority and an administrative centre for the North Western Health Board, the new secondary school on the Ballina road, and a dramatic surge in residential housing all point to a population of 2,000 by 2012, says Mr McCarrick.
“Tax designation has been a huge plus for purchasers and people have come back from England to resettle in their native place. Tubbercurry is only 20 miles from Sligo, Ballina and Boyle, and 30 from Castlebar and its strategic location is proving a major attraction,” he said.
Over 200 houses have been built in a relatively short timeframe with several estates being developed. Principal developers are Stephen Henry and Pat Murtagh of H & M, Tourlestrane.
“It makes sound commercial sense to buy a house in Tubbercurry, with big savings to be made, according to Mr McCarrick. “For example, one can buy a four bedroom detatched house here for E155,000, some E30,000 to E40,000 less expensive than an equivalent house in Sligo. A new three-bedroom semi can be bought in Tubbercurry for E125,000 whereas one will pay E160,000 in Sligo for the same kind of house,” he added.
“The difference in the prices would buy an awful lot of petrol for those who wish to live at home and commute to work,” he said.
Mr McCarrick predicts that the proposed bypass will have a profound impact on the development of the town and lead to further commercial opportunities which will create the need for more housing,
“I am very optimistic about the future of Tubbercurrry. The new amalgamated secondary school is state of the art and will cater for up to 700 students. It will serve all of South Sligo and has the potential to draw the rural areas and Tubbercurry more closely together and that can only be to the good of all,” said Mr McCarrick.
Paddy O’Hara, President of the Chamber of Commerce, is equally optimistic. “For years the Chamber has been beating the drum on a number of issues, including the one-stop shop, derelict buildings, The Square enhancement and the bypass, and now things are finally coming together,” he told the Western People.
Under the Urban Enhancement strand of the Clar Programme, Tubbercurry Square has been allocated a grant of E60,000, with Sligo County Council providing a further E60,000 of matching funding.
The project was identified as one of the priorities of the Tubbercurry community, based on the Area Action plan produced by Mouncey Westboury Architects in 1998 for the Tubbercurry Chamber of Commence, is the redevelopment of the Square into an open inviting amenity space. The works will include the replacement of some landscaping with high quality paving, seating and lighting, together with an area where music groups etc can be set up for outdoor entertainment.
The Chamber has approx. 60 members with Gearoid Surlis as Vice-President, Maeve Walsh Secretary and Patricia Holton Treasurer.
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