Council blitz on derelict sites
The council is set to get tougher on derelict site and property owners across the county by imposing hefty financial penalties on those who have, thus far, failed to co-operate to tidy up their properties.
The drive to eradicate derelict sites from across many of Cavan's 27 main towns and villages follows a renewed focus at the council's Planning Department. Staff there are currently “rolling out derelict site notices” on seriously rundown and potentially dangerous local properties.
There are 37 properties listed on the council's derelict sites register as of last week, four times more than this time three years ago. This number does “continually change” as properties are “entered on or are removed”.
No derelict sites levies were imposed in County Cavan in 2024 nor were any appeals lodged to properties being included on the register. However, a spokesperson told the Celt it is “anticipated that the imposition of the derelict sites levy on properties will commence in 2025”.
A Section 8 notice states that any owner, lessee or occupier may, within four weeks of service, make representation regarding a proposed property entry on the Derelict Sites Register. Failing that, the council will arrange for the property to be valued, and the owner(s) will be notified. On January 1 of the following year, a levy of 7% of the property's market value becomes due and on every year following, until such time as the dereliction is addressed.
Under the Act the council can also, at its discretion, issue a compulsory purchase order (CPO).
Last September it was stated at a meeting of local elected members that the council had at that stage identified 805 properties in Cavan as derelict.
The “extensive county-wide survey” of dereliction in all prescribed urban areas first began in 2023.
However, in the past the council was warned that collecting the levy can be difficult, especially where multiple property owners or a shell company are involved, and pursuing cases legally can wind up even more costly still.
The number of derelict sites is already beginning to drop nationally after the extension of the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant supports bringing vacant and derelict properties back into use.
A grant of up to €50,000 is available for the refurbishment of vacant properties for occupation. Up to €70,000 is available for properties deemed derelict. At the time of its launch, the Croí Cónaithe Towns fund aimed to deliver 2,000 homes by 2025. This target has since been increased to 4,000.
According to the latest figures available from the Department for Housing, up to the end of September 2024, Cavan County Council had administered 14 vacant property grants, over three times as many as issued in 2023 (four).