BOARDED-UP HOUSES and crumbling buildings are a common feature of towns and cities across Ireland.

Derelict buildings contribute significantly to Ireland’s housing crisis, and bringing them back into use is one of the Government’s aims to address social housing shortfalls and to get more homes on the market.

Under laws introduced in 1990, every council keeps a Derelict Sites Register to encourage owners to bring vacant houses and land into use through the imposition of an annual levy of 7% of the property’s market value, which applies until the site is no longer derelict.

When someone objects to a local authority trying to acquire a site via a Compulsorily Purchase Order, the council can make an application to An Bord Pleanála.

The process is similar to making a planning application, and the board weighs up submissions from the council and the owner of the land before deciding whether a site can be subject to a CPO.

Last month, four local authorities applied to the board to CPO six different properties around Ireland, including a number of derelict houses and a former shop that was damaged by fire eight years ago.

1 St Mary’s Road, Newcastle West (Limerick)

1 St Mary's Road, Newcastle West Google Street View Google Street View

Limerick City and County Council applied to acquire a two-storey end-of-terrace property and adjoining land on St Mary’s Road in Newcastle West on 10 April.

It is not clear how long the property has been vacant or when it last changed hands, but Google Street View images show that it has gone on the market a number of times since 2009.

It comprises a two-storey house and a parcel of land with space to extend or build even more properties.

Planning files show that previous owners were given permission to build three houses at the site in 2005, though this work was never carried out, and that permission lapsed in 2010.

Collins and Co, the local estate agent who previously listed the house for sale for €129,000, said at the time that the property is “in need of renovation”.

An Bord Pleanála said it will make a decision on whether Limerick City and County Council can CPO the property by September.

Derelict site at Main Street, Athea (Limerick)

The derelict site at Main Street in Athea Google Street View Google Street View

Limerick City and County Council also applied to acquire a derelict site on Main Street in the village of Athea in the west of the county, close to the border with Kerry.

The relevant site contains a derelict two-storey house that incorporates a former shopfront, on a terraced site of around 0.04 hectares.

Google Street View images of the site from 2009 appear to show it in a similar state to the most recent image in 2023, with the same paint on the property and a boarded up shopfront door.

The property first came to the attention of Limerick in 2019, and the council previously sought to acquire the property in 2023.

Its owner at the time, Ann Woods, objected to that CPO, saying she intended to transfer the property to her son but that they were awaiting builder’s quotes to carry out repairs to the house.

Documentation submitted as part of her objection showed that the house had been in the ownership of Woods’ extended family for decades.

Woods had inherited it from her cousin James McMahon in 2015; McMahon had inherited it from his father Michael McMahon in 1977; and Michael McMahon had inherited it from his own father in 1947. 

That attempted CPO was refused permission by An Bord Pleanála, who said the acquisition of the property was not necessary to ensure it becoming non-derelict.

The latest case is due to be decided by 8 September.

In a report by the Housing Agency about tackling dereliction last month, it was noted that Limerick has led the way on acquiring sites via CPO.

It says that the council has acquired most of the straightforward cases, but now faces challenges in purchasing those which are more complex and that may take longer to acquire.

28 St Lelia Street, Limerick city (Limerick)

28 St Lelia Street, Limerick Google Street View Google Street View

In Limerick city, the council applied to acquire another terraced house at 28 St Leila Street (which is also listed as being located on St Lelia Place).

The two-storey property and surrounding land are situated on 0.01 hectares and are listed on the council’s derelict sites register since 2021.

There is extremely little publicly available information about the site – it’s not possible to find any previous planning references about it, or information about why it was added to the derelict sites register.

Although recent more images show the facade and the walls of the house cracking, Google Street View images from as recently as 2014 show the property in a decent state of repair.

An Bord Pleanála is due to decide on whether the council can CPO it by 8 September.

24-26 Market Street, Monaghan town (Monaghan)

24-26 Market Street, Monaghan Google Street View Google Street View

Further north, Monaghan County Council also applied to CPO a site at 24-26 on Market Street in Monaghan town.

The building was occupied by the home decor company Albany for almost 50 years, until it was badly damaged in a fire in March 2017, forcing the business to move elsewhere.

It has remained vacant and has since Albany moved out, and now has construction hoarding erected around it externally.

In 2022, an application was submitted to the council to demolish the damaged building and replace it with a new commercial until and 28 apartments.

This application was subsequently withdrawn after the council said that it did not receive clarification on a number of issues related to the proposal.

The site was subsequently added to the council’s derelict sites register last year. An Bord Pleanála will rule on whether it can be acquired by the council by 8 September.

15 The Glen, Trinity Without, Waterford city (Waterford)

15 The Glen, Waterford city Google Street View Google Street View

In the south of the country, Waterford City and County Council applied to acquire a terraced two-storey property at 15 The Glen in Waterford city.

There is also very little publicly available information about this property: it has no planning applications attached to it on Waterford City and County Council’s website.

According to the Property Price Register, the house was sold for €22,000 in 2014.

An Bord Pleanála will decide on whether it can be subject to a CPO by 8 September.

22 High Street, Tullamore (Offaly)

22 High Street, Tullamore Google Street View Google Street View

At the end of April, Offaly County Council applied to CPO a large two-storey property at 22 High Street in Tullamore.

The house is listed on the council’s Record of Protected Structures and was built around 1820.

Images show the house in a state of dereliction, with boarded up and broken windows, a boarded up carriage arch that was originally intended for horses and carts, while the roof is in a state of disrepair.

It has been the subject of numerous planning applications by its current owner dating back to 1996, when permission was sought and conditionally granted for a new roof and shopfront on the site (which lapsed in 2001 without taking place).

Permission was also sought in 1997 for a new house to be built on the site, though this also lapsed in 2002.

The property was placed on the council’s register of derelict sites in 2011 and is said to be valued by the council at €240,000.