By Violet Brown
A BALLYWALTER mum has said the condition of School Lane to the rear of the village’s primary school needs to be sorted out.
Emily Donnan uses the pathway every morning to take her son to and from pre-school. Last week’s incessant rain turned the ground into a flooded mire and those using it had to tramp through gutters to get to the school, the play park, sports pitches and into the centre of the village.
Describing the condition of the laneway as ‘dreadful’, Mrs Donnan added the worst of the winter weather ‘hasn’t even hit yet’.
“Surely this needs to be sorted now. Not only is it a health and safety issue, but the fact kids are going in with wet dirty shoes first thing is awful,” she continued. “How on earth do prams and elderly people get along this path to the village?”
Ards and North Down Council has secured money to fix the problem, but appears to be in dispute with the Education Authority (EA) over who is responsible for maintaining the ground once the work is completed.
A council spokeswoman said the lane encompassed two separate land folios primarily owned by the EA with a small area of land in private ownership. “The pathway has been subject to recurring flooding – an issue raised by local residents,” she said.
In response to these concerns, the spokeswoman added, that the council secured funding to raise, widen and resurface the lane with the aim of improving accessibility and connectivity for all users.
“The council and the EA are currently in discussions to agree the next steps required to progress the project,” she added.
An EA spokeswoman explained officers had proactively engaged with the council since May 2023 to expedite the proposed work to the existing pathway.
“All necessary documentation was agreed by both parties at the end of June 2023, with the works expected to commence in the months afterwards,” she continued.
“However, in late 2023, the council submitted an alternative proposal to construct the entire pathway on EA owned land.”
For work to proceed, the spokesperson said, EA requires the council to formally agree to maintain the pathway in its entirety and indemnify EA against any potential future loss or claims as a result of the works.
“Despite continued engagement, an agreement has yet to be reached,” she added. “EA remains open to working with all parties to find a resolution that will benefit all users of the pathway.”
Peninsula alderman Robert Adair remains focused on seeing the project delivered. “Although the laneway is in EA ownership I saw an opportunity through council to deliver a project and address this issue of longstanding in the village through the small settlements grants funding,” Mr Adair explained. The council, he added, was awarded funding to upgrade the laneway.
“The project has hit a setback due to lack of agreement as to which government agency will adopt the pathway following completion,” Mr Adair concluded. “I along with Strangford MLA Michelle McIlveen will be working to resolve the issue and we are optimistic in having the project delivered.”
