Derelict Tivoli Avenue houses to be re-examined as social housing sites

Two derelict houses located on the junction of Tivoli Avenue and York Road will be re-examined as suitable sites for social housing after lying idle for a number of years.

Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council announced the decision after Fianna Fail councillor Justin Moylan tabled a question asking the council to issue a Compulsory Purchase Order on the two properties.

Moylan asked the council to provide a “detailed history and current report on what actions” it has taken to “deal with the long running and prominent eyesore of Tivoli Lodge, Tivoli Road and York House considering that further graffiti and dumping has taken place on these sites during March and April.”

Moylan also asked if a CPO could be issued on these sites.

In response, the council said that it would re-examine the properties and if see if they are appropriate locations for the development of social housing, and thus, warrant the issuing of a CPO.

The council said that an original examination of the site found that it was not a suitable location for social housing

“Following a change of ownership of the site in 2018, notices under Section 11 of the Derelict Sites Act, 1990 were served on the reputed owners of the site requiring that specified works be carried out within 12 weeks from the date of the notice,” says the council.

“At the same time, the reputed owners were notified that, if the specified works were not carried out as required, that the site would be entered on the Derelict Sites Register in accordance with the provisions of Section 8 of the Derelict Sites Act, 1990.

“As the required works were not carried out and the notices were not complied with, the site has been on the Derelict Sites Register since March 2019.”

Since 2020, the site has been liable for the Derelict Site levy – a charge placed on landowners who do not refurbish derelict sites.

“In accordance with Section 23 of the Derelict Sites Act, 1990, the site became liable for the Derelict Site levy on the 1st January 2020.

“The amount levied for the local financial years 2020 and 2021 in relation to the site is € 70,000 in respect of each year. The total sum levied and outstanding to date is €140,000.”

Before a local authority can pursue a CPO on a derelict site, the land must be suitable for the “carrying out of a statutory function,” such as developing housing or the construction of a road scheme.

“The only viable rationale for the possible acquisition of the site in this case would be for the development of a social housing scheme on the site,” says the council.

“The Housing Department was consulted in this regard previously and having examined the possible acquisition in accordance with their assessment criteria, it was recommended that the procedure described above should not be pursued in relation to the site and the properties on it.

“Having regard to the foregoing, the site will continue to be monitored as a Derelict Site with a view to pursuing the carrying out of the works required to render the site non derelict.”

However, the council says that it will be re-examining the site due to “the time elapsed since the last assessment.”

Councillor Moylan told Southside People that he thought it was “a shame to see both houses derelict and the site lying empty when there is such a shortage of housing across the area.

“Further to the councils reply to the motion I have asked that DLR look at the site with a view to a CPO and provision of much needed housing.

“I look forward to the council returning to the Dun Laoghaire area committee and trust they will look favourably towards the idea.”