Far less vacant homes in Kildare than the national average
Accommodation
Just 2% of private homes in County Kildare are vacant - which is considerably below the national average of 4.5%.
A vacancy rate of 6% is normally expected within a properly functioning housing market to allow for scenarios such as renovation, change or ownership of turnover of tenants.
In the past year or so the number of derelict sites under review across County Kildare had reduced from 140 to 39 cases which are currently being investigated.
The meeting heard that there are a number of challenges associated with converting derelict buildings into residential homes.
And not all derelict sites, notably those located in industrial areas, can be used for hoses or apartments.
Also vacant or abandoned houses are not necessarily derelict, said KCC official Joe Boland.
“Indeed relatively few ‘vacant’ houses fall within the definition of derelict,” he stated.
A derelict site is defined as land which detracts or is likely to detract, to a material degree from the amenity, character or appearance nearby land because if the existence of structures which are ruinous, derelict or dangerous; if the land is neglected, unsightly or objectionable or if litter or debris is present.
Cllr Suzanne Doyle points out that a former bank building in Rathmines had been converted into apartments and Cllr Mark Stafford said upwards of 50 to 100 houses have been abandoned by borrowers for reasons which include emigration or marital breakdown.
In a report to a meeting on May 30, KCC official Annette Aspell said that a vacant homes officer was appointed in 2018 and part of the role is to carry out visual inspections of residential properties with a view to identifying “possible vacant recoverable homes.”
This task also includes identifying the registered owners and making them aware of the options to assist in beginning the properties back into use for private or social housing purposes.
“It is the council's full intention that these vacant properties will be brought back into circulation and increase the units available to us through our own housing stock.”
Cllr Bill Clear said that the Naas Tidy Towns group had been assessing vacant and derelict sites in Naas and Sallins.
“It’s important that we show we are doing our bit,” said Cllr Clear, saying that information provided by KCC “doesn’t fully tally with what we see on the ground.”
Cllr Clear added “all local authorities have dropped the ball on this.”
He did not accept that only 2% of homes are derelict.
Responding to a request from Cllr Clear, Ms Aspell said that the VHO role will become a full time shared role. She also pointed out that the officer only deals with private residences.