The owners of a property in County Armagh have been renovating their basement, after receiving a letter from the County Council in which it asked them to stop the work and to provide the address of a local firm.

The letter, dated August 6, 2017, was addressed to the property owner, William and Karen McKechnie.

It said the owners “have been undertaking a major renovation of their home in order to provide for a wider range of residents, especially in regard to their elderly, children and the needs of their pets.”

The property owner has received this notice in relation to a recent house inspection by the County Board of Health and is aware that this work will affect the quality of their property, and the health and safety of their tenants and residents in the area.

“A thorough investigation will be undertaken to determine the reasons for the inspection and the potential risks to the health, safety and welfare of the residents and residents of the surrounding area.

The owners are requesting the council to cease and desist from any further work on their property and to ensure that a thorough investigation is conducted and appropriate safety and hygiene measures are implemented.”

This is a very serious matter and we are asking the council not to proceed with any further renovation at this time.

“It is essential that the residents of this area continue to be reassured that the McKechies have been working hard to make the best of this difficult situation, and they will be working diligently to keep this property safe.”

The property, in the town of Derry, Co Antrim, is a former cattle station and is owned by the McKees.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the McEcs said: “We have been informed that a new council inspection will be carried out as part of an ongoing process which includes a comprehensive assessment of the condition of the premises.”

We have a number of residents who live in the premises and will be assessing the effect of any proposed work at this stage.””

We would like to thank everyone for their understanding as this is a highly sensitive matter and would ask them to respect our request to not commence work at any stage.