COMHAIRLE CONTAE FHINE GALL FINGAL COUNTY COUNCIL
BALBRIGGAN/SWORDS AREA COMMITTEE MEETING
(Services B – Strategic & General Matters)
THURSDAY 10TH JANUARY 2019
ITEM NO. 37
Motion: Councillor B. Dennehy
"That this Committee calls upon the Chief Executive to inform the
meeting as to the number of complaints received to date regarding
the dire state the derelict houses subject of planning permission
F12A/0225 and outline what measures are open to make the property
owners remove / make good the eyesore on the Main Street Rush."
Report:
There are 7 complainants with respect to the condition of the buildings at
the location in question. In general where issues around the condition of
buildings arise matters can be pursued under the Derelict Sites Act. Often
issues can be resolved by dialogue as the Council interacts with the
relevant parties. The Council’s intention to interact with the owners of the
site and their representatives was set out at the Balbriggan Swords Area
Committee in November 2018. Since the November 2018 Area Committee
meeting the Council has been in contact verbally and in writing with the
owners and their representatives with respect to matters relating to the
location in question. This contact will continue with a view to progressing
matters around the condition and appearance of the site. The matter wilO
be reviewed shortly to determine if further action is necessary.
UPDATE :
A site meeting took place on Tuesday morning this week between Fingal Planning officers and the Developers / Owners of the site following on from this motion and discussions at last weeks area meeting. The developer now has 4-5 weeks to start the clean up process of the site or a Derelict Site order will be imposed on the site. I would like to see all the houses except the thatched cottage pulled down and I have called for this action at previous meetings. It was agreed at the site meeting that all houses bar the house with the roof currently off it will be repainted at the front and sides and new false windows in the upper and ground floor installed as well as have the roofs with the slates which have fallen off previously fixed up and made safe. The building with no roof will be pulled down to below first floor level and will not be visible from behind the existing hoarding which is due to be replaced and painted new. The reluctance to pull down the remaining buildings was from the fear that the required hoarding put in place to block off the site from a H & S requirement would be 1. end up on the main street footpath reducing the pedestrian access and 2. would in turn become a prime target for graffiti hence making a current bad situation even worse. While commencement dates for construction were mentioned seeing is believing as we have been here before and the possibility of an extended time period with timber hoarding running further up the main street than what currently the case is not a desired situation. The garden to the front of the houses is also due to be cleaned up as part of the conditions outlined by the planners. Failing to comply with what was agreed to improve the current dilapidated state of the site FCC will impose the dereliction if the timeline agreed to on site is not met.