While the majority of people are trying their best to keep Killarney town in shape and well presented, a small number of standout derelict sites are proving to be very unsightly and the problem needs to be tackled, a meeting of Killarney Municipal District Council has been told.
Cllr Martin Grady asked Kerry County Council’s enforcement officer to write to anyone that owns a derelict site that is unsightly or a danger to the public.
He said there are two standout properties in Killarney that need to be highlighted because the dereliction has gone on far too long.
“On the entrance to town on the Tralee road there is a big metal carcass on a site and halfway up High Street there is a building that has been deemed unsafe and we need to act on them,” Cllr Grady said.
He added that there was a protective steel frame around the High Street building to stop it from collapsing but if it’s there much longer the owner will be able to apply for planning permission to use it as a balcony.
The council said the derelict sites office is very active in addressing potentially derelict buildings and inspections are carried out when a report is received. Subsequently, an appropriate course of action will be decided in accordance with the Derelict Sites Act.
A property survey, conducted in 2022/23, identified properties that could potentially be classed as derelict and the data is currently being reviewed.
The council stressed, however, that under the terms of the Derelict Sites Act, the local authority has no power to interfere with a derelict property which are privately owned and are the responsibility of the owner.
If a property poses a danger to the public, the council can then take action to make the site safe.
“Kerry County Council continues to inform and advise the owners of vacant and derelict properties of the various schemes that are available in order to bring the properties back into use,” a spokesperson said.
KillarneyToday.com: Reaching thousands of readers every day. To advertise call 087-2229761 or email news@killarneytoday.com
