County's Register of Derelict Sites in urgent need of update says Trim Cllr

The need for action to tackle derelict properties in towns and villages was discussed by Trim councillors at their January meeting.

Cllr Trevor Golden pointed out that they are aware of sites in the district that have been derelict for many years, yet are not on the derelict sites register and that they needed to get moving on them. He had tabled a motion calling on the council to update the register of derelict sites in the district and present a report to councillors.

"There are properties in towns and villages that are not on the register, buildings boarded are up and there is antisocial behaviour. They are not safe. I would like to see action taken on a lot of these. Some buildings are derelict a good few number of years now," said Cllr Golden.

He went on to say there are lots of reasons they can trot out why buildings are derelict but that when they get a report back from the council, they needed to formulate a plan as to how to deal with them.

"There are properties that for all my time on the council have been in a derelict state. We may have to use our powers to try to move them on."

Meath County Council is to provide a status update report on all derelict sites under investigation at the March meeting of Trim Municipal District. According to the derelict sites register, there are currently 36 properties in the county, with seven of them in the Trim Municipal District area.

Cllr Noel French supported the motion and felt action was needed and that they should look at Compulsory Purchase Order. He said it was partly down to the economy and that buildings were being left derelict in the middle of towns and also pointed out that it is difficult to restore these buildings and its unlikely that planning permission would be granted for a new building on the site. Cllr French agreed that anti-social behaviour is happening in derelict properties and that CPO should be looked at.

"I think we also have to explore CPO on abandoned houses in housing estates. Some are top class homes where people have turned the key and walked away, with some vacant for four to six years," he added.

Cllr Joe Fox said there is a problem with dereliction in all villages and said the laws around the CPO process are quite restrictive, particularly in relation to abandoned buildings. He commented there was needed for stronger legislation in this area to help local authorities.

"The council are proactive in this but their hands are tied in a lot of cases. The system is so convoluted and the appeals system goes on and on and it can be tied up for years. There is a lot of funding to upgrade villages, hundreds of millions are being spent on village renewal but you still have people sitting on derelict properties and won't move on them or do anything with them. "