Significant rise in number of buildings on Cork County Council's Derelict Sites Register

There has been an increase of more than 50% in the number of buildings on the Derelict Sites Register since the end of last year and more sites will be added by the end of the year, the Southern Division Manager of Cork County Council has disclosed.

Michael Lynch, who is the senior council official charged with overhauling the Derelict Sites Register, told last week’s council meeting that there are 108 sites now on the register, up 52% from the end of last year when there were 71 sites on the register throughout the county.

He said that the council had carried out a survey of the county’s derelict and vacant sites since the final quarter of 2022 and 2,810 sites had been surveyed as part of that work.

Mr Lynch was responding to a motion from Fianna Fáil councillor Seamus McGrath requesting a report on the number of vacant properties, classified as derelict or dangerous, that Cork County Council had purchased in the last five years.

Activation

The Carrigaline based councillor said there was “no question but we’re in a much better place now in terms of town activation” as he raised the issue at the council.

“Our Regeneration Office is doing good work, without question, allied to the various schemes available nationally such as the urban regeneration fund and the Croí Cónaithe scheme” said Mr McGrath.

“The fact that we did progress in 2023 with five compulsory purchase orders is much better than before — there were many years when we hadn’t progressed with any [purchase orders] in the county — so the fact that we are undertaking that work now is very welcome.

“I am strongly of the view that, sometimes, [purchase orders] are the only solution — we can try to engage with property owners, we can try to create and stimulate interest and activity but on some occasions we have to go for the [purchase order] route if all other options don’t prove successful. Look, we’re all aware of buildings in town and village centres that have been there for years and are vacant, derelict and, in some cases, dangerous [conditions] that haven’t been addressed — and that’s a significant issue.”

Mr Lynch disclosed that a further five properties would be recommended for compulsory acquisition by the end of this year.