To ask the Minister for Regional Development if he intends, under the Private Streets (NI) Order 1980, to adopt the streets in Loughview Village, Carrickfergus so that salt boxes can be provided for next winter.

My Department’s Roads Service has advised that a preliminary certificate of completion for the roads within Loughview Village was issued in January 2007, which included a list of defects that required attention by the developer before a final adoption certificate can be issued. However, to date, the developer has not requested the issue of the final certificate of adoption.

Roads Service recently inspected the roads within the development and identified some defects that would need to be repaired prior to adoption. Unfortunately, it appears that the developer is not prepared to carry out these repairs, therefore, Roads Service will issue an Article 11 enforcement, under the Private Streets (NI) Order 1980, to have the roads completed to adoption standard.

With regard to requests for salt boxes in adopted streets, I am advised that a comprehensive process is used to assess all requests for salt boxes, this takes into account the road layout, gradient and residential/community welfare issues. Salt boxes are not provided on streets where the gradient is less than 5% and as the topography in Loughview Village is generally flat, this minimum criterion would not be met.