Latest news with #DerelictSitesAct
Irish Examiner
08-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Government funding for renovating vacant council homes in Kerry town half what is needed, council told
Government funding for council-owned housing that is vacated and has to be fixed before being re-let is less than half what is required, a council meeting in Tralee has heard. Kerry has one of the worst records when it comes to the length of time it takes to turn around council houses. In 2024, it took about 64 weeks on average to relet council properties. The meeting of Tralee Municipal District heard there was huge demand for social housing in Tralee, and there was large and unmet demand for affordable housing. The figure for approved applications who have selected an area in the Tralee Municipal District and other areas as a choice stands at 2,364, the meeting heard. The net need for housing in Tralee is 1,257, and this excludes transfers. More than a dozen properties in Tralee are formally on the derelict sites register, with another dozen likely to be added. Other properties, some prominent commercial sites, also lie vacant and are in a poor state, the meeting heard. As of June 24, a total of 15 properties within Tralee town are formally entered on the Derelict Sites Register, according to a written reply to councillors. 'In addition, active case files are ongoing in respect of a further 13 properties, which are presently under assessment,' it added. 'In addition, through proactive engagement with property owners under the Derelict Sites Act, some 11 properties have been successfully removed from dereliction and returned to active use.' The average spend per vacant house by the council in Kerry is €22,484. The grant allocation from the Department of Housing for each house is generally about €11,000. But where properties that have been worked on have to be turned over a second time, the council is not funded by the Department of Housing. 'The department does not fund a second void,' Vincent Horgan, senior engineer in the council housing section told the meeting. The department's view was the council should be using its rental incomes for a lot of the works, he said. In a given year, Kerry County Council would be allocated funding for 50 to 60 voids, but this could vary. 'Every year is different. It is hard to plan a voids programme when you are not sure what funding you are going to get any given year,' Mr Horgan said. This article was funded by the Local Democracy Scheme
Irish Independent
17-06-2025
- General
- Irish Independent
Augustinian church in New Ross in danger of falling into ‘further decay' unless council takes action
New Ross Standard Today at 20:00 The Augustinian buildings in New Ross should not be allowed to fall into 'further decay' according to local councillor John Dwyer. Speaking at the June meeting of the New Ross Municipal District (NRMD) Councillor Dwyer said the council needed to use whatever powers it had to preserve the buildings. 'The Augustinian building and the stone pathway has been closed permanently, I understand there may be sensitivities over the land ownership but we have to tackle the dereliction that's there – and not just by putting up hoarding,' he said. Describing the buildings as a 'spectacular part' of New Ross, Cllr Dwyer said the steps there were currently in a 'disgraceful condition'. "We need to use our powers under the Derelict Sites Act to ensure that the steps and the entrance are protected, and that the buildings are not allowed to fall into further decay,' he added.
Irish Independent
25-05-2025
- General
- Irish Independent
Rural Cork community welcomes the demolition of a derelict inn that had become a local ‘eyesore'
Work is already well underway on the clearance of the Lee Valley Inn site in Dripsey, Co Cork Corkman Today at 03:00 The Lee Valley Inn in Dripsey was placed on the Cork County Council's Derelict Site Register in October 2021, with works to demolish the building having commenced on May 6. A Section 11 notice under the Derelict Sites Act was issued to the owners of the premises on April 24, which required them to carry out the schedule of works specified to render the site non-derelict.
Irish Independent
07-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Event management company buys derelict building from Wexford County Council for €70,000 above asking price
A property purchased by Wexford County Council (WCC) via compulsory purchase order (CPO) has been sold to an event management company for €70,000 over its asking price. The council acquired 111 North Main St through the Derelict Sites Act on October 11, 2024 from a Mr Martin Ryan and is now set to be sold to Lantern Events Limited for €195,000 who are required to 'substantially complete works on the property, so as to render it non-derelict and return it to productive use' within 24-36 months of the sale. 111 North Main Street was identified as being suitable for acquisition under the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) programme. The intention of this programme is to have local authorities, in this instance WCC, act as the conduit for getting long-term vacant and derelict properties into the ownership of those who will return them to use. Properties acquired by local authorities under this programme must be offered for sale on the open market so as to bring them back in to use in a timely fashion. Accordingly, WCC appointed an independent sales agent to value and manage the sale of the property on the open market. This property was valued at €125,000 and was advertised for sale through the estate agent's website. A best and final offer of €195,000 was received on April 11 of this year. The proposed purchaser has confirmed that it is their intention to return the ground floor of the property to commercial use and residential use on the upper floors.
