I ask Leitrim County Council to identify how many private houses are listed as vacant in the most recent data available to them, for the Manorhamilton Municipal District Area and how are these measured, for e.g. would properties which have been unoccupied for more than 30 years continue to be counted?
Minutes:
"I ask Leitrim County Council to identify how many private houses are listed as vacant in the most recent data available to them, for the Manorhamilton Municipal District Area and how are these measured, for e.g. would properties which have been unoccupied for more than 30 years continue to be counted?"
Report by Director of Services, Housing and Community, Corporate Services, Cultural and Emergency Services
"Leitrim County Council have a vacant homes officer employed and over the last 18 months he has surveyed the towns/villages of Manorhamilton, Dromahair, Kinlough and Tullaghan in the Manorhamilton Municipal District. The surveys carried out to date include an external visual examination of each property followed by a determination of the property as either potentially vacant or occupied. All properties that have the potential after major or minor refurbishment works, to provide a home, are included as potentially vacant irrespective of building age or the period the building has been unoccupied.
To date 315 properties in the Manorhamilton Municipal District have been identified as Potentially Vacant. The Vacant Homes Officer has issued 77 letters by registered post or letter drop to the owners of vacant properties in Manorhamilton outlining the options for the owner to either sell or lease the property to Leitrim County Council. Leitrim County Council has received only 5 replies to date. The vacant homes officer will be issuing letters to the owners of the vacant properties in Kinlough, Dromahair and Tullaghan in the coming weeks. The most recent CSO Figures from 2016 put the percentage of vacant homes at 20% or 3,589 dwellings for the whole of Co. Leitrim."
Cllr Justin Warnock outlined the changes that has taken place in the last five years in regards to the availability of housing for renting/buying in North Leitrim and the difficulties the public face in trying to secure housing. Cllr Warnock welcomed the response from Leitrim County Council and that there is a Vacant Homes Officer working on this issue.
Cllr Padraig Fallon supported the motion, and outlined that the number of people seeking housing in North Leitrim has only increased over the past twelve months. Cllr Fallon stated that a pilot scheme is required within Leitrim to tackle the difficulty in securing planning permission within County Leitrim due to the T-Test.
Cllr Frank Dolan supported the motion and stated that a solution is required for the difficulty in securing planning permission within the county.
Cllr Felim Gurn supported the motion. Cllr Gurn outlined the difficulties of redeveloping commercial buildings within towns for residential use, and that building costs have significantly increased.
Cllr Sean McDermott supported the motion and the comments made by Cllr Gurn. Cllr McDermott outlined that a solution is required to the current difficulties surrounding planning permission within the County.
Cllr Mary Bohan supported the motion and outlined her concerns in relation to the planning permission difficulties and the adverse effects this is having on families trying to secure planning permission on family land. Cllr Bohan stated that this issue requires a solution on a National Level.
Cllr Justin Warnock reiterated that a solution to the lack of supply of housing is required now or the situation will only continue to deteriorate.
Ms. Mary Quinn, Director of Services, outlined that the CSO figures should not be used in direct comparison to the Leitrim County Council figures for vacant housing as the CSO figures would include rural areas whereas Leitrim County Council has focused its efforts on towns and villages at the present time.