Work underway at two derelict properties on Cork's Barrack Street

Cork City Council is monitoring the progress of returning derelict buildings on Barrack St to use, after they were sold with a caveat that they had to be put back into use within five months’ time.

Councillors voted in November 2022 to sell, for €275,000 plus Vat, two derelict properties, 118 and 119 Barrack St, acquired by the local authority using compulsory purchase order (CPO) powers the previous year.

The properties were deemed unsuitable to be developed as social housing by the council’s housing directorate, and councillors were told at the time that the proposed purchaser had proposed a commercial use at the lower level, with residential above.

A number of conditions were attached to the property disposal, including one which stipulates that the purchaser must “complete the redevelopment and/or refurbishment of the property and removal of dereliction to the satisfaction of Cork City Council within a maximum of two years from the date of closing of the contract for sale”.

A spokesperson for Cork City Council told The Echo that the agreement did not commence until the end of 2023, so the developer has five more months to complete the work.

They said: “As part of Cork City Council’s strategy to address dereliction, 118 and 119 were acquired by Cork City Council.

“The properties were subsequently sold on condition that works to remove dereliction be undertaken and completed within two years, the agreement commencing December 2023.

“Works are underway, and Cork City Council is monitoring progress to ensure compliance with the terms of the sale.”

Green Party councillor for the South Central ward, Dan Boyle, told The Echo that he stood by the decision to compulsorily acquire and then sell on the properties, which had been left vacant for several years.

He said: “It is frustrating that the work is taking so long to get started. The decision to compulsory purchase and sell on was correct.

“I am still of the belief that the new owner is invested in seeing that these buildings meet their full potential.”

His ward colleague, Fine Gael’s Shane O’Callaghan, said: “There needs to be progress made on that, because the buildings are still derelict and they were sold with a view to them being used for housing and no longer being derelict.”