Householders hoping to benefit from a group sewerage scheme in Leitrim have been told to ''move on'' and ''wind up their application''.
Residents in Hartley just outside Carrick-on-Shannon had been hoping for the scheme to become a reality for a number of years but have now been told by the local authority it is not going to happen.
In 2019, Leitrim County Council granted planning approval for the Hartley Cartown Group Sewerage Scheme, consultant engineers were appointed and a preliminary design was completed.
The project was initially approved by the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government.
However, the estimated cost of the project rose substantially and therefore new forecasts were sent to the Department for consideration.
During this time the local authority engaged with Government officials over the increase in costs with a view towards advancing the scheme.
Leitrim County Council prepared an estimate based upon Irish Water design standards and construction costs. This process identified the cost at approximately €32,000 per house, which the Council state was well above the Departments threshold under the current programme of €10,350 per house.
In a statement Leitrim county council say the final decision of the department is to refuse the application and it's clear this scheme ''will not at any juncture be approved for funding and nothing more can be done. ''
47 homeowners are impacted by the move and council officials are advising householders it's their responsibility to ensure their sewerage is treated safely.
