Council given green light to acquire two Cork city derelict sites 

The planning commission has approved two compulsory acquisitions of derelict properties in Cork city after the owners appealed the council’s application.

Cork City Council outlined intentions in December to compulsorily acquire two separate properties that had fallen into dereliction.

Monerea House on Albert Rd, was described by a planning commission inspector as “overgrown with vegetation” with the side entrances boarded up and rubbish located to the side of the property.

The city council served notice of its intention to compulsorily acquire the site on the owner of the house, Frank O’Callaghan, late last year and he objected.

In his submission, Mr O’Callaghan outlined concerns with the adjacent building, which was owned by the council and provided antisocial behaviour outside the home.

That property was later demolished, which the owner said collapsed against the north gable of his property, destroying ladders providing access to the roof for maintenance. He added that he was currently trying to get the house up and running, but that health issues interfered with this.

Ruinous and derelict

Upon assessment, the inspector said that while the front wall and gables appear to be intact, the dwelling was “clearly ruinous and derelict”.

She further ruled that no demonstrable effort was made to redevelop the dwelling, given that the property had been on the derelict site register since 2025 and evidently vacant since 2010.

Ruling in favour of the inspector’s decision, An Coimisiún Pleanála granted consent for the compulsory acquisition of the site. The planning commission has also approved the compulsory acquisition of a second derelict property at 8 Grange Terrace, Grange Rd, which has been listed on the derelict site register since November 2022.

The decision was objected to by the owner of the property, Dermot Costello, who argued that the site was derelict when it was acquired and that a substantial clean-up was carried out. 

Dereliction fines

He also claimed that the pandemic prevented him from doing work and that dereliction fines prevented the funds for construction. Mr Costello said he received no assistance from the council, and that there was no history of communication between him and the local authority.

A report by the city council in March 2025 found that the site remained in a ruinous and neglected condition. A further investigation by the planning commission inspector found the house to be in a “dangerous condition”, detracting to a material degree from the amenity, character and appearance of land in the city.

The inspector subsequently found that the city council’s procedures were fair and reasonable, and that it had demonstrated the need for the land to be acquired, with An Coimisiún Pleanála granting consent for the compulsory acquisition of the site.