Housing contractor told to clean up dirt left on Ballina homes

Ongoing construction work on an 80-unit local authority housing estate at the Killala Road in Ballina has prompted complaints from neighbouring residents over the build-up of dirt on the walls of their homes.

Cllr John O’Hara highlighted the issue at the October meeting of the Ballina Municipal District, asking staff from Mayo County Council to contact the contractor responsible for the development on the former Cheshire Homes site and arrange for the dirty walls to be power washed.

The Fine Gael councillor said he had received several calls from residents who are unhappy with the mess left on their properties due to the ongoing construction work.

“The amount of clay that has been going down them [walls] for the last six months - it is continuous all day long, and even the road is dirty,” he said.

He asked if the contractor could be requested to clean the walls of the seven or eight houses closest to the road.

Cllr O'Hara described the situation as “very unfair”, noting that residents continued to pay local property tax despite having to deal with the mess, and highlighted the case of one woman in her 70s who had been “out with the hose trying to wash it down” herself.

Senior executive engineer Theresa Durkin said the council will get into contact with the contractor in question.

The 80-unit mixed residential development currently being developed along the Killala Road is progressing well and is due for completion in April 2027. 

With 12 units at The Meadows also due for completion by April 2027 and a further 31 units at the former Duffy's Bakery site due to be completed in November next year, Ballina town is set to welcome more than 120 local authority homes throughout the next 12 months.

• Published as part of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.