All of the councillors representing Comber in Co Down have come together with a cross-party proposal to explore “all options” to remove a private hoarding on Castle Street amidst widespread censure from locals.
The site is owned by a landlord who does not live in the area, and who is in contact with the local authority through an agent.
In reaction, a committee at Ards and North Down Borough Council has passed a motion relating to the problem signed by all five councillors for the Comber district electoral area, that is two from the Alliance Party, two from the DUP, and one from the UUP.
The motion passed during the January meeting of the Place and Prosperity Committee states: “The Comber representatives are delighted that Comber has won the Best Kept Medium Town Award this year and want to thank all the volunteers who have worked tirelessly to make this happen.
“There is, however, a long-standing dilapidated hoarding in Castle Street which badly detracts from this important area of town. The Comber representatives recognise that council officers and the Comber Regeneration and Community Partnership have tried to address this issue, but this has not been successful.
“Considering this, officers should do a report exploring all further options available to resolve this issue with some urgency.”
Alliance Councillor Patricia Morgan, who forwarded the motion, said at the meeting: “This isn’t some backstreet in Comber – after the Square it is the main shopping street. People have to walk past this every day, and I feel that is completely unacceptable.
“I’d like to emphasize that the people of Comber are very proud of their town, proud of its cleanliness, the sitting areas, the Square, the flowerbeds and shop fronts. It won the best kept medium town award, and I think that is fantastic for the borough.
“But winning these types of awards doesn’t happen by itself. A lot of volunteers in Comber work incredibly hard to deliver that.”
She added: “There are two planters in front of this hoarding. Can you imagine if you were the volunteer who has to put the flowers there, and then come away every day, come back and water them every day, with that thing as a background.
“It is just awful, and I feel incredibly angry for the people of Comber about this, and we as councillors should feel angry about this. It looks truly dreadful.”
She said: “I know officers have made an effort to do something about it. The Comber Regeneration Community Partnership has tried to work on it, but it hasn’t been successful, and the problem is still there. For me, this is the council’s job and duty to do something about it.
“We need to think outside the box, challenge the system, challenge the situation, possibly look at solutions that have been adopted by other authorities. The thing that is really important is to not continue to accept the status quo.”
DUP Alderman Trevor Cummings said: “This particular section of land and hoarding is located at the heart of the town and looks quite frankly out of place and unsafe. Comber Regeneration volunteers who were at the centre of securing the award have offered to help seek funding and assist with repairs.
Comber Castle Street hoardings Credit: Councillor Patricia Morgan
“But access can only come with the approval of the landowner. And we I feel must exhaust every avenue in order to address this problem, which essentially overshadows the good work that has been achieved for Comber.
“The solution is simple if the landowner permits actions – the hoarding can be replaced and the appearance enhanced, which surely must work to the advantage of all. We know that the landowner, who currently doesn’t live in the area, is heavily dependent upon their agent, but I am convinced if we get this united message across, we can secure a positive outcome.”
The Director of the council’s Place and Prosperity Committee said: “We agree with all of the sentiments. But I want to make very clear to the committee the amount of work we have done – the officers have gone out of their way to have this issue resolved.
“We have gone and spoken to the agent on at least three occasions. We secured funding of £12,000 to have it done. We have offered that we would oversee the work, and it would be our measured term contractors who would do the work. All they had to do was for the owner to accept liability after the work was done.
“I don’t know where we are going to go on this. It is private property. The land agent has said he has recommended to his client not to accept it, and he will not be accepting it. I want to put a wee bit of reality back into this.”
Councillor Morgan said: “It is an extraordinarily difficult problem, and I don’t for a minute think this is easy to solve, it is not. But are we really prepared to let that sort of eyesore sit in Comber or any other town?
“We need to make a really serious statement about this – it is a blight. I do accept it is private property, but I want us to think the unthinkable.”
Comber Castle Street hoardings Credit: Councillor Patricia Morgan
News Catch Up – Tuesday 14 January