Co Down Residents Clash with Landowner Over ‘Eyesore’ Hoarding
Residents in Comber are rallying against a private hoarding that mars their main shopping street, urging local authorities to take action.
Comber, Co Down, Hoarding, Castle Street, Community, Council
Comber: So, there’s this big fuss going on in Comber, Co Down. The local councillors are all fired up about a private hoarding on Castle Street that everyone thinks looks terrible.
The landlord who owns it doesn’t even live in the area, and they’re dealing with the council through an agent. It’s a bit of a mess.
At a recent council meeting, all five councillors from Comber got together and passed a motion to look into ways to get rid of this eyesore. They’re really keen to keep the town looking nice, especially since it just won the Best Kept Medium Town Award.
Councillor Patricia Morgan, who brought up the motion, pointed out that this hoarding is right on the main shopping street. She said it’s unacceptable for people to have to walk by it every day.
She also mentioned how proud the locals are of their town and all the hard work that goes into keeping it clean and beautiful. It’s not just about winning awards; it’s about the effort from the community.
Morgan expressed her frustration, especially for the volunteers who maintain the flower planters near the hoarding. Can you imagine watering flowers with that ugly thing in the background?
She’s really passionate about this and believes the council should step up and find a solution. It’s not just about accepting things as they are; they need to think creatively.
DUP Alderman Trevor Cummings also chimed in, saying the hoarding looks out of place and unsafe. The local volunteers who helped win the award are even willing to pitch in for repairs, but they need the landowner’s approval.
He thinks if they can get a united message across, they might convince the landowner to let them make some changes. It sounds like a simple fix if they can just get the green light.
The council’s Place and Prosperity Committee has been working hard on this, but it’s tricky since it’s private property. They’ve even secured funding to fix it, but the landowner’s agent isn’t on board.
Morgan acknowledged that it’s a tough situation but stressed that they can’t just let this eyesore stay. It’s a blight on the town, and they need to make a serious statement about it.
Comber Castle Street hoardings Credit: Councillor Patricia Morgan
News Catch Up – Tuesday 14 January