Cork Cottages Dormant for Over 30 Years: Restoration Project
State Properties Lie Vacant Amidst Housing crisis: Focus on Cork Reveals Scale of Issue
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Ireland is grappling with a severe housing crisis, yet a meaningful number of state-owned properties remain vacant across the country. New facts reveals the extent of this issue, especially in County Cork, prompting calls for urgent action to bring these buildings and sites back into use.
National overview of Vacant State Properties
A recent review has identified a total of 74 vacant properties under the duty of the Office of Public Works (OPW). This includes 54 buildings and 20 sites distributed nationwide. the prolonged vacancy of these assets is drawing criticism at a time when affordable housing is desperately needed. Concerns are mounting that these properties represent a missed possibility to alleviate pressure on the strained housing market.
Cork: A Focal Point for Vacant State Assets
county Cork accounts for a considerable portion of the vacant properties, with 16 buildings currently unoccupied. A significant cluster of these are former coastguard properties located in Crosshaven.
Crosshaven Coastguard Cottages: Progress and Potential
Nine of the vacant Cork properties are former coastguard buildings in Crosshaven,with five being cottages under OPW care as before 1993. An additional three cottages came under OPW remit in 2017 and 2020, alongside a former coastguard site acquired in 2020. Crucially, all eight of these properties are earmarked for ”intra-site transfer to Cork County Council for social housing schemes,” indicating a planned pathway to address the housing shortage.
The remaining coastguard property in Crosshaven, known as Rocket House, was taken on by the OPW in 2020 and is currently “under consideration by Cork County Council.” This suggests a potential future use for social housing, but the timeline remains uncertain.
former Garda Stations: Awaiting Disposal
Four former Garda stations in Cork are also vacant. Three – Ballyfeard and Ballygurteen in South-West Cork, and Knocknagree on the Kerry border – have been closed since March 30, 2012. The fourth, rathduff Garda Station, closed on January 31, 2013, and was transferred to the OPW on November 21, 2023. All four are listed as “being prepared for disposal,” but the process is reportedly slow.
A former Garda residence in Kealkil, near Bantry, has been under OPW control since June 8, 2012, but is facing delays due to unresolved title issues, hindering it’s disposal.
Other Vacant Properties in Cork
Bannow House in Carrigrohane, a residential property, came under OPW management on April 10, 2022, and is slated to be leased to Cork County Council. A former OPW office on the Old Blackrock Road in Cork has been under OPW care since 2015,with officials currently “examining alternative State use” for the building.
calls for Accelerated Action
The situation has prompted strong reactions from local representatives. speaking to The Echo, Cork TD Michael McGrath emphasized the urgency of activating vacant state properties.
“Properties that the OPW has that are lying vacant, we need to ensure that there’s a plan put in place to get these properties back into use without delay,” McGrath stated. He welcomed the progress regarding the Crosshaven coastguard cottages,but stressed the need for a broader,more rapid response.
“But any other properties within the State’s control, including those in the response I received to this [request] need to be activated and brought back into use. It simply isn’t good enough that we woudl have properties lying vacant at a time when we have such an acute accommodation crisis.”
The focus on Cork highlights a national problem. Bringing these vacant state properties back into use is seen as a crucial step towards addressing Ireland’s housing crisis and providing much-needed accommodation. The pressure is now on the OPW and relevant local authorities to expedite the process and deliver tangible results.