A proposed social housing scheme in Hacketstown, Co Carlow, is being opposed by residents.
The village's community council says the high-density scheme of six town houses and 12 apartments is unsuitable for Hacketstown and should be replaced by a commercial and housing development.
The residents are supported by the Fianna Fail TD Mr Dick Roche, who described the Carlow County Council scheme as "crazy". An opportunity for the village was being turned into something very negative, and the council should "go back to the drawing board", he said.
Mr Roche, whose Wicklow constituency borders Hackets town, said opposition to the project might be perceived as an attack on social housing, but this was not the case. The council was in the process of acquiring land adjacent to the development site which would be suitable for such housing, he said.
"But what they're proposing to do here is to put two and three-bedroom units facing on to the street, with no front or back gardens. The buildings are attractive but the scheme is wildly inappropriate," he claimed.
Residents who attended a meeting last Monday complained about the lack of provision for commercial units on the site. However, Mr John Higginson, the council's senior housing engineer, said prospective commercial occupiers were actively sought.
Most of the ground floor facing Water Street had been earmarked for commercial units. The council plans to provide a library and information centre. Discussions were also being held with the South Eastern Health Board, which may open a health centre on the site and a party interested in opening a creche.
There were currently 16 people from Hacketstown on the council's housing waiting list, and the houses and apartments would be used for local authority tenants, he said. Mr Roche said locals felt this was the only opportunity they would have to regenerate the village. They were angry that they had not been consulted from the outset but presented with an advanced design in June.
Mr Higginson said the design had been on public display for two months, and the council was still accepting submissions on it. A final decision would be taken by council members at their September meeting.
