Laois County Councillors have called for a concrete wall to be built to separate a cemetery from a new housing development.
The issue of boundaries came up last week as Councillors were examining the draft Laois County Development Plan for 2021 to 2027.
The county development plan says concrete walls along public spaces should be avoided through quality design.
It says that where it is not possible they should be suitably rendered and capped.
It adds that proposals for planting along the public side of the wall shall be included on a landscaping plan.
While the plan also outlines that in the interest of passive surveillance, where side boundary walls adjoin the public footpath, the walls shall be a maximum of 1 metre in height as far as the rear building line of the dwelling – beyond which a 2m wall may be provided).
The cemetery at question here is St Peter and Paul’s in Portlaoise and Councillors were calling for a wall to be used in this instance.
Cllr Willie Aird claimed that Laois County Council had not insisted that the developer install a wall – and instead had allowed a wooden fence.
He said: “This is common sense stuff. You must have a proper fence.
“Not panels or pallets. They are no good and all fall down.”
Cllr Aird received support on the matter from Cllrs Padraig Fleming and Caroline Dwane Stanley.
Cllr Fleming said: “What happens is after 15 years, they begin to rot.”
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