Twenty-five Castlebar properties identified for potential compulsory purchase

TWENTY-five properties in Castlebar have been compiled on a list of properties that could be issued with a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) from Mayo County Council.

The council has been allocated funding under the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) to issue CPOs on vacant properties in the area. Mayo County Council has made offers to owners of three Castlebar properties on the list of 25 compiled by the local authority.

The monthly meeting of Castlebar Municipal District heard that there are 26 sites in the area on the derelict sites register.

Eighteen levies have been issued to owners of properties on the derelict sites register in Castlebar so far this year. Mayo County Council intends to follow up with a number of property owners who have not yet paid their levies. David Mellett, Head of Castlebar Municipal District, described the process for dealing with derelict sites as ‘long and drawn out’.

Cllr Michael Kilcoyne highlighted the lack of levies for derelict sites collected by Mayo County Council to date. In 2023, Mayo County Council imposed charges on 126 sites, totalling €709,000. But by this July, only €14,000 has been paid.

Cllr Kilcoyne said that the local authority would collect more money from derelict site levies than from raising property tax if it collected all the money it was owed. Mr Mellett said it was the council’s responsibility to inspect sites and report back to their environment section, who will then put them on the derelict sites register.

In June, there were 264 properties listed on the Derelict Sites Register in Mayo.