Vacant Blackrock homes see diocese taking on Cork City Council

The Diocese of Cork and Ross is set to resist an attempt by Cork City Council to acquire a trinity of long-neglected, vacant, church-owned homes on the upmarket Blackrock Rd.

The trio of properties at Nos 1, 2 and 3 St Michael’s Terrace, were the subject of a Cork City Council notice of intention to acquire the site by compulsory purchase order (CPO), published in the Irish Examiner earlier this month.

The terrace of homes, a longstanding eyesore adjacent to St Michael’s RC Church on Blackrock Rd, were advertised for sale in December 2023 at the knockdown price of €200,000 for all three – a fraction of what houses in one of Cork’s more salubrious suburbs would normally command.

The diocesan trustees had put them on the market as the fastest, fairest, and most effective way of addressing the vacancies, according to the diocesan office at the time. The diocese had also pointed out that site had proven technically difficult, as it is fairly confined, which would add to the cost for development, including for approved housing bodies. This difficulty, the diocese said, had become evident when they prioritised the houses in the summer of 2023.

Cork City Council intervention

However, Cork City Council’s intervention came after taking “all reasonable steps”, including ongoing dialogue with the site owners, which failed to reach a resolution.

The council said the site had been the subject of “longterm dereliction without resolution for many years” and that the site owners had been made aware of “potential avenues for redevelopment, via grants or other options”.

The council placed the terrace on the derelict site register in 2023 which allows them to consider the compulsory acquisition of the site. They have now signalled intent to do so by publishing a notice on June 5 last. A spokesperson said the focus of all actions undertaken is “to return properties to use and remove dereliction”.

Under the Derelict Sites Act, the diocese, as site owner, has until July 8 to submit an objection to the council opposing the proposed CPO. If an objection is made and is not withdrawn, the proposed CPO acquisition will be referred to An Coimisiún Pleanála for determination.

In response to queries, the diocese said it attended to appeal the CPO proposal and intended to return the properties to market, having resolved a title issue.

“In light of the fact that the diocesan trustees have been in ongoing communication with Cork City Council in relation to these properties, the trustees will be appealing the proposal to compulsorily acquire them.

“Furthermore, rectification of title matters have been concluded in recent weeks and these properties are on the point of returning to the market for disposal,” a spokesperson said.

If the properties do return to market, private house hunters may be in a position to apply for vacant property grants to return them to use. There’s also the possibility that an approved housing body may look at increasing the density from the current three units, subject to a planning grant.

St Michael’s Terrace is set on a corner entrance to the parish carpark and community centre beside St Michael’s Church. The houses predate the church and face down Church Avenue towards the recently redeveloped marina.