Council acquires derelict Naas properties

KILDARE County Council has been granted permission to compulsorily acquire two long-derelict properties on Naas's Abbey Road in Naas following a decision by An Coimisiún Pleanála.

The decision relates to Nos. 2 and 3 Abbey Road, a centrally located town-centre site comprising two derelict townhouses.

The local authority sought to acquire the properties under the provisions of the Derelict Sites Act 1990, with the application for consent submitted to An Coimisiún Pleanála (ACP) on August 18, 2025.

In its decision, ACP approved the compulsory acquisition, finding that the properties are in a “derelict, unsightly and objectionable condition of the subject properties, which detract to a material degree from the amenity, character and appearance of land in the neighbourhood”.

It considered objections submitted against the acquisition, along with constitutional and European Convention protections relating to property rights, the wider public interest, and the objectives of the Kildare County Development Plan 2023–2029.

In its order, ACP concluded that the site falls within the statutory definition of a derelict site under Section 3(b) of the Derelict Sites Act. It found that acquisition by the local authority is necessary to bring the properties back into use and prevent them from blighting the area.

The site occupies a prominent position on Abbey Road in Naas town centre, a short distance of Main Street.

The lands are zoned "A – Town Centre" under the Naas Local Area Plan 2021–2027, which seeks to provide for the development and improvement of appropriate town-centre uses, including residential, retail, commercial and civic development.

The properties previously benefited from planning permission granted by Kildare County Council in 2020 by applicant John Hipwell.

The permission provided for the demolition of the two existing two-storey townhouses and the construction of three new two-storey townhouses, together with all associated site development works.

Under the terms of the decision, the permission was valid for a period of five years from the date of the decision and would cease to have effect if the development was not commenced within that timeframe, or, if commenced, was not completed within the five-year period.

As no development was carried out, the permission has since lapsed.

The existence of the previously approved residential scheme demonstrates that the site has already been considered suitable for redevelopment and highlights its potential to accommodate new housing in a prime town-centre location.

According to sales particulars, the site was previously offered to the market with a guide price in excess of €295,000.

ACP concluded that the objections raised against the acquisition could not be sustained in light of the need to address the ongoing dereliction there. It further determined that the acquisition and its impact on the property rights of the owners are proportionate and justified by the “common good”.

The order was sealed and dated 2 June 2026, clearing the way for the council to proceed with the acquisition process and potentially facilitate the future redevelopment of the site.