Town has 51 derelict properties, Municipal District informed
A call was made at Monday’s meeting of the Ballybay-Clones Municipal District for the owners of vacant residential and commercial properties in Ballybay to step up their engagement with the local authority with a view to implementing a scheme of urban regeneration in the town. It was stated that a recent survey had identified as many as 51 properties in the town that could be classified as derelict.
Fine Gael councillor Sean Gilliland told the meeting that the potential existed in Ballybay for a renewal scheme similar to that being implemented with conspicuous success in Clones – but greater buy-in from property owners needed to happen. Congratulating the local authority on the recent painting scheme that had taken place in Ballybay, Councillor Gilliland said the premises that had been painted were fantastic-looking and the work had given the town a great lift.
However, he wanted to ask what now happened with the buildings in need of painting that hadn’t participated in the scheme. Referring to a motion he had tabled a year ago requesting a survey of all derelict housing and commercial buildings in Ballybay, Councillor Gilliland asked if the survey had been conducted and what results it had produced. He said the reason for his motion was to highlight buildings suitable for housing development in the town, and there were also many buildings that might be suitable for a new town library and any other public office that Ballybay might need.
Cathaoirleach Hugh McElvaney (Independent) said he recalled mention at the last meeting of Monaghan…