The local authorities are set to block off a public laneway in the Bishops Meadows housing estate in an effort to curtail anti-social behaviour in the area.
The existing laneway offers public access from the public road entering the estate onto the lands at the rear of the houses.
“Though surfaced the laneway is predominantly used for anti-social type activity and is the subject of representations by residents in the area for cleaning at regular intervals,” said senior engineer Kieran Fitzgerald in a report.
He said that alternative and superior access to the riverside lands had been provided as part of the Linear Park project.
However the council is unable to block the lane off permanently at present because of the discovery of a possible underground water pipe as it is unsure of its purpose.
“There is surface water there that doesn’t seem to have a source but there is water flowing in it. It may well be a spring of some sort,” Mr Fitzgerald said.
The council intends to carry out a CCTV survey in an effort to determine whether the water is running into a housing development.
If it is found that the pipe is no longer needed it is planned to block the laneway permanently at both ends with the land integrated into the adjoining properties. If the pipe is relevant an access gate will be included.
Mr Fitzgerald said it is not known exactly when the right of way will be extinguished but assured councillors that there would be a final clean up at the site.
