City council using ‘all tools at its disposal’ to tackle dereliction

Cork City Council is using “all tools at its disposal” to bring derelict properties in the city back into use in as timely a manner as possible, the local authority’s director of services for strategic and economic development has said.

Fearghal Reidy made the comment in response to a written question submitted by Labour Party councillor Laura Harmon at a council meeting this week.

The newly elected councillor in the city’s South West ward sought information on how much the council had collected in derelict sites levies over the past 12 months, plans to increase levy collection and actions being taken to tackle the blight of dereliction in the city.

In a comprehensive response, Mr Reidy said that in the last 12 months from June 2023, Cork City Council has collected €427,993 in derelict sites levies.

He stated that the council “extensively reviewed” its derelict sites processes in 2023 and increased the size of its derelict sites team.

“Cork City Council applies a robust approach to the collection of levies including timely notification of placement on the register, a determined approach to owner identification, timely issuing of relevant statements and the enforcement of final demand letters when payment is not received,” he said.

The local authority, Mr Reidy said, is placing a legal charge on properties who fail to pay their levies, meaning the property cannot be sold without the settlement of any outstanding levies.

“The circumstances of all properties are regularly reviewed and progressed to ensure the timely removal of dereliction and recoupment of levies,” he added.

In relation to tackling the issue of dereliction, Mr Reidy said that last year the council carried out a survey of over 13,000 city properties, with an end result of a 45% increase in the number of sites on the Derelict Site Register.

“The team is now working on a portfolio of over 700 vacant and derelict properties.

“Cork City Council is using all tools at its disposal to facilitate a timely removal of dereliction and a return to use.

“This includes the administering of available grants, with over 250 properties having applied for the Croi Conaithe/Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, which brings long term vacant and derelict properties back into use.

“Several other grants/schemes administered by the council contribute towards the same objective,” he said.

Additionally, in the community events are being held where property owners and developers met council staff to understand the options available to them to bring vacant and derelict properties back into use.

“Cork City Council is using its powers of compulsory purchase, levy application and sale by agreement with increased frequency to facilitate a swift return to use,” he said.

Further, the local authority has increased the size of its technical team “to identify deterioration in properties and pre-empt, where possible, their descent into dereliction”.