Some rundown Tipperary homes deemed too derelict by council to revamp, meeting hears
Councillors pass motion calling on local authority to adopt more flexible approach in adjudicating applications to renovate derelict Tipperary properties
Some planning applications to revamp rundown rural homes are being refused by Tipperary County Council because the properties are deemed too derelict, a councillor highlighted at the local authority's May meeting where her motion urging a more flexible policy was passed.
Independent Cllr Máirín McGrath's motion calling for the Council to review its current approach to assessing applications for the renovation and/or extension of derelict properties was unanimously approved by fellow councillors at their monthly meeting in Nenagh.
The Newcastle councillor said she tabled the motion because she noticed discrepancies in relation to the assessment of some planning applications by the Council in cases where it considered the properties to be abandoned.
“Since the introduction of the Vacant Property Grant and the top-up grant for derelict properties, we have seen amazing jobs done. I think we should have increased flexibility by the planning authority in how it adjudicates these,” she said.
Cllr McGrath argued that if people were willing to do up a derelict property they should be supported by the local authority.
“When we are telling people that their property is too derelict to do up, we have really lost it,” she said.
She also noted that to her knowledge there was no clear definition of dereliction in the planning acts.
Mayor of Clonmel Cllr Pat English seconded the motion, arguing that the council should support any way of getting housing stock back into use as the country was in the midst of a “housing emergency”.
Independent Cllr Liam Browne agreed there needs to be a “a little bit of give” and “elasticity” on the part of the council.
The Cashel councillor highlighted that on one hand people were availing of grants to renovate properties vacant only a few years while the owners of genuinely derelict houses were not getting the grant due to the council refusing planning permission to them.
He pointed to the Room to Improve programme where a derelict old mill was transformed into a home. It showed modern engineering made it possible to restore such properties back to perfection.
The Council, in a detailed written response, explained in some cases a structure may be in such an advanced state of dereliction or disuse that its function as a dwelling may reasonably be considered to have ceased.
“In these circumstances, proposals may amount in planning terms to the re-establishment of residential use, rather than refurbishment of an existing dwelling.
“Where this arises, it is necessary to assess the proposal having regard to the wider rural housing policies of the Development Plan, including those relating to housing need.
“Each application for the renovation or extension of a derelict or existing structure is therefore assessed on its individual merits, taking account of factors such as: the physical condition and structural integrity of the building, evidence of recent residential use or abandonment, the scale and nature of the works proposed and compliance with relevant Development Plan objectives and national guidance.”
“The Planning Authority considers this approach allows for appropriate flexibility, supports the reuse of rural building stock where feasible, while also ensuring consistency with established rural housing policy and statutory obligations.”
Senior planner Anne Marie Devaney told the meeting the Council fully appreciated and took on board the concerns expressed by councillors but stressed the Planning Section must consider such applications on a “case by case basis”. Council planners had regularly discussed this issue at team meetings over the past few months to ensure there was a consistent approach and would continue to do that.
She said the Council hopes guidelines from the Government will assist it in making these planning decisions. In the interim, the local authority is drawing up temporary guidelines, which they have to consider carefully because there is case law in relation to “abandonment of use” of properties.