18 sites in Fermoy MD registered as derelict

There are currently 18 sites on the Fermoy Municipal District Derelict Sites Register, two less than what was reported in 2020.

Details of the current derelict sites were issued at this week’s Fermoy Municipal District meeting, where Municipal District Officer Pauline Moriarty noted that Cork County Council’s Chief Executive wants to ‘put a focus’ on derelict sites.

“There’s a number of other sites under investigation. They’re all at various different stages of the process.

“A lot of them unfortunately still remain derelict. I think I’ve identified three on the list for removal and recommendations will follow for that in the coming weeks. There are three with the legal department as well, but we have made contact with the owners in a lot of cases and some works have been carried out with other works scheduled,” Ms Moriarty said.

Listed under the Municipal District Office report for the meeting were details regarding reports carried out on the derelict sites. Currently, four sites are awaiting reports, while six sites have had reports carried out within the last six months.

Recommendations are being recommended to close three files, while three files are also awaiting a response from the relevant owners and a further three files are currently with the legal department.

No sites have been removed from the register within the last three months.

Currently, there are eight derelict sites in Fermoy, three in Mitchelstown, two in Doneraile, two in Kilworth and one apiece in Killavullen, Glanworth and Rathcormac.

One site, located on the north side of Mill Lane, Glanworth, has been registered with the council for some twenty years, having first entered the list in December 2002.

Three sites on the list were reported to have been registered as derelict in 2003, in Killavullen and Doneraile (x2), one of which is on the west side of New Road and the other being on the south side of Chapel Lane.

The site located at Glengara, New Road, Kilworth has been registered as derelict since 2007.

Also featured on the list is 49 Upper Cork Street, Mitchelstown, the building which partially collapsed onto the main street on July 7 last. It is understood that legal proceedings have since been initiated regarding this site.

CONTINUED FOCUS

According to Municipal District Officer, Pauline Moriarty, who was responding to the motion tabled by Councillor Deirdre O’Brien, progress is currently being made on the Derelict Sites Register, with the Municipal District’s main aim being to ensure up-to-date reports are available on all sites as they await countywide policy.

Councillor Deirdre O’Brien, who had tabled the motion, said that she believes the matter is one that the council needs to ‘keep pushing’.

“I think it’s something we need to keep pushing. Now we have a housing crisis we need to be getting these derelict sites back in,” Cllr O’Brien stated.