Nearly €400,000 owed in derelict site levies across Kildare district
The Old Band Hall on Cutlery Road, Newbridge which is on the derelict site register has been purchased by the council
KILDARE County Council has confirmed that almost €400,000 in derelict site levies remains outstanding across the Kildare–Newbridge Municipal District, according to a report issued to local councillors recently.
The update was provided in response to a motion from cllr Noel Connolly, who asked the council to supply members with a list of properties on the derelict and vacant sites registers in the district, along with details of levies paid and owed on each site.
Derelict sites levies are compulsory payments made annually to the local authority for urban land which has been entered into the derelict sites register. The levy is 7 per cent of the land’s market value.
Officials from the council's housing and planning departments confirmed that there are 16 properties currently listed on the derelict sites register within the Kildare–Newbridge Municipal District, including locations in Newbridge, Kildare Town, Monasterevin, Rathangan, Kilcullen and the Curragh.
Five of the listed properties have been compulsorily acquired by Kildare County Council and are now in council ownership, including the Old Band Hall on Cutlery Road in Newbridge, Leinster Street in Rathangan, the former Garda Station in Rathangan, a derelict site in Kildare Town and a tattoo parlour on Station Road in Kildare Town. These properties will be removed from the register once they are no longer considered derelict.
One additional property was acquired by agreement, with refurbishment works expected to be completed this year, after which it will also be removed from the register. The council confirmed that compulsory purchase procedures have commenced on two further properties.
The report states that total derelict site levies of €399,390.80 are owed on the listed properties up to the end of 2025. Of this, €73,238.72 will be deducted when compensation is issued for the five properties already acquired through compulsory purchase.
During 2025, a total of €63,606.14 in derelict site levies was collected within the municipal district.
The council also provided an update on the vacant site register as of January 2026. Three sites in Kildare Town, located at Rathbride Road, Chapel Lane and Dublin Road, remain on the register.
While no payments have been made to date, a total of €289,800 remains outstanding and is progressing through the debt collection process, with one site currently under review following an appeal.
Overall figures show that €556,000 has been levied on vacant sites within the Kildare–Newbridge area, with €289,800 still unpaid.
Council officials noted that the vacant site levy was replaced by the residential zoned land tax (RZLT) from January 2025.
