COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Monday, December 09, 2024
MOTION NO. 1
MOTION: Councillor M. Johansson
That the Chief Executive initiate Compulsory Purchase Order proceedings on all sites that are on the Derelict Sites Register (as published 20/06/2024)
REPORT:
The Derelict Sites Register remains under continuous review, with regular engagement with the owners of these properties. This engagement includes options open to the owners under the various Government initiatives, such as the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, Repair and Lease Scheme, or sale of the property. Currently, there are 23 sites on the Derelict Sites Register, 14 of these sites were added this year. In April, the Council acquired one of those sites, comprising four houses, under the provisions of the Derelict Sites Act. HSCD has taken possession of these houses.
A programme of Compulsory Acquisitions under the provisions of the Derelict Sites Act, 1990 is being prioritised. To date, as a result of actions taken under the programme, three houses have been brought back into use by the owners and are now occupied; one house is in the process of being refurbished by the owner with a view to being brought back into use; another house has been advertised for sale and is now "sale agreed". Further, South Dublin County Council is negotiating directly with owners / agents for the purchase of three derelict properties. Finally, there is currently a pipeline of five properties that the Council proposes to commence the compulsory acquisition process under the provisions of the Act.
The national Vacant Homes Action Plan, launched in January 2023, consolidates the various strands of work to address vacancy. This Action Plan includes objective 19.5 from Housing for All which provides for the introduction of a new programme for the CPO of vacant properties. Under this Programme, local authorities are now required to adopt a proactive, planned, and systematic approach to the identification and activation of vacant and derelict properties. The main steps of the Programme, which is managed within the Housing Social and Community Development Directorate include:
- identification of vacant and derelict properties,
- identification of and engagement with owners,
- communication regarding the various schemes and measures in place to support bringing the property back into use, and
- where owners of vacant and derelict properties cannot be identified or where they are unwilling to engage, use of available legislative powers to compulsory purchase or acquire such properties using either the Housing Act,1966 or the Derelict Sites Act, 1991.
Acquired properties may subsequently be used for social housing, made available for sale on the open market or used for other purposes e.g., community use and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has set a target for this Council for 30 vacant and derelict properties to enter the Compulsory Acquisitions Programme in 2024 with 3 compulsory acquisitions to commence in 2024.
Further, under the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund Round 3 funding, also management within HSCD, South Dublin County Council has been allocated €6m to address long term vacant and derelict properties.
URDF Round 3 is a key initiative in operationalising the Government’s Town Centre First policy and the wider National Planning Framework (NPF) compact growth objectives to support the growth of our towns and urban areas with an increased number of new homes and to activate underutilised building stock in these areas. It will also integrate with existing coordinated Government measures that are tackling building vacancy and dereliction including the Croi Conaithe Refurbishment Grant, the Planning Exemption for commercial to residential use and the CPO Activation Programme.
The URDF Funding allocated is intended to be a revolving fund that will be replenished from the proceeds received from the sale or reuse of properties and sites, allowing the Council to establish a rolling programme of acquisitions to tackle long term vacancy and dereliction.