Action is sought on rundown sites
JUST one single property in Co Wicklow is officially included on the Derelict Sites Register, despite the views of councillors who say that many more qualify.
At last week’s monthly meeting, Arklow Municipal District members received an update from Wicklow County Council following requests for a number of local properties to be reviewed.
They were informed that The Old Rectory in Rathdrum is the only property classed as derelict and that other sites in Arklow, including the former Marine Hotel, former Kitty’s public house, 56 Main Street, 70 Lower Main Street, The Brook, and 24 Wexford Road, which councillors asked to be inspected, are not derelict.
Rosemary Dennison of Wicklow County Council previously told members that there are specific criteria under the Derelict Sites Act which determine whether or not a structure is derelict.
Cllr Miriam Murphy shared the view that works should not be undertaken to make such premises seem in better condition than they are, as this stops them from being listed and the owners being compelled to take action.
‘If the Tidy Towns are painting sites, like the Marine Hotel which was painted this week, then this contradicts what we are trying to do and getting these listed as derelict. I’m not criticising the work or the volunteers but if we are trying to get these sorted out, then why is so much work going into it?’ she said.
‘ That site is a health and safety issue and while I’m not knocking the work, I feel it is contradictory to what we are trying to do,’ she added.
Cllr Tommy Annesley said that the Tidy Towns volunteers work very hard and fundraised to carry out the work.
‘If we let any derelict building get into a worse state, then we are going down a slippery slope. It does look well when people get off the bus,’ he said.