Almost 170 properties are on derelict site list in Mayo
Nearly 170 properties with a combined value of over €21 million are lying derelict in Mayo.
Castlebar councillors were recently provided with a breakdown of the derelict properties in their municipal district where 37 buildings and homes are considered derelict.
The value of the properties on the derelict sites register in Castlebar comes in at over €4.5 miillon.
The highest number of derelict properties are contained in the sprawling Swinford/Claremorris Municipal District where 91 buildings are lying idle. They have a combined estimated market value of over €7 million.
In the Westport/Belmullet Municipal District, there are close to 50 derelict sites with a market value of close to €5 million.
The Ballina Municipal District has more than 80 empty buildings worth an estimated €4.7 million.
A number of properties contained in the list did not have a market value attached.
Mayo County Council owns three of the properties on the register. These include a building on Ellison Street in Castlebar, valued at €200,000 a site on Bridge Street in Ballinrobe worth €50,000 and a site in Tallagh, Belmullet with an estimated value of €90,000.
Castlebar councillors had asked the Municipal District to provide figures on what enforcement action has been taken in the area.
In 2023, there were six derelict site levies issued under Section 23 of the Act in Castlebar MD, to a value of €78,078. For 2024, levies for 13 properties in the Castlebar MD have issued to date, to a value of €114,100.
Cllr Michael Kilcoyne told the Western People that the local authority is not doing enough to tackle the problem.
“Action has to be taken on these sites. It’s just disgraceful that many of these sites that would be suitable to convert to housing are lying idle.
“This needs to be dealt with as a matter of urgency. This is not a new problem, it has been going on for years. Some of these properties are going back to the days of the town councils,” said Cllr Kilcoyne.
He said a “softly, softly” approach is not good enough and called on Mayo County Council to tackle the derelict sites that it owns.
“Continuing to take the ‘softly, softly’ approach is not an option. Some of these properties are owned by Mayo County Council. They need to be setting an example themselves.”
