Council acquires vacant Athy properties
Photo for illustrative purposes only
Further action has been sought to tackle the problem of derelict and vacant properties plaguing the south Kildare towns of Athy and Castledermot.
Cllr Brian Dooley brought forward a motion at the 20 April meeting of Athy Municipal District proposing that Kildare County Council carry out an audit of vacant or closed premises in Athy and Castledermot to identify the owners and encourage them to use available grants to bring the properties and above shop spaces back into use.
Cllr Dooley’s Fianna Fail colleague cllr Veralouise Behan seconded the motion.
The council’s response – issued by administrative officer in the housing department Eileen McGrath and business advisor in the Local Enterprise Office Andrew Gaynor – said that the local authority regularly surveys the two towns to identify such properties and contacts owners to inform them about grants and supports to bring the properties back into use. The response noted that several owners have applied for refurbishment grants.
The local authority went on further to say that in cases where property owners do not take action, the council will intervene through measures including the placing of buildings on the Derelict Sites Register or by starting compulsory purchase proceedings.
According to the response, the council has acquired six vacant properties in Athy town centre through agreement or CPO (Compulsory Purchase Order) through the Urban Regeneration and Development Call 3 programme. These properties are being prepared for resale subject to the approval of the councillors.
Another CPO is under way in the town centre, and eight Athy properties have been added to the Derelict Sites Register in the last two years.
The council’s response also stated that CPO proceedings have begun on Main Street properties in Castledermot. Seven buildings have been approved for refurbishment under the Repair and Leasing Scheme, and three town-centre properties have been added to the Derelict Sites Register in the last two years.
Cllr Dooley went into further detail on the problem of dereliction whilst speaking at the meeting, describing how derelict buildings “can be an eyesore”.
He noted the investment in Athy (“in excess of €100 million”) in the last number of years and pointed out the numerous positive aspects of the town before pointing out that “yet there’s still that dilapidation”.
Cllr Aoife Breslin of the Labour Party suggested that leaflets be dropped in vacant properties in the two towns to inform property owners of what is available to them. She also said that there is good work going on in Castledermot relating to CPOs.
