Concerned: City & County Councillor Joe Conway.
FURTHER concerns have been expressed over the number of derelict sites in Waterford.
Speaking at the September plenary meeting of Waterford City & County Council, Cllr Joe Conway (Ind) said there was an onus on the council to maintain a Derelict Sites Register.
Each local authority must keep a register of all derelict sites in its area, containing the location of each site, the name and address of the owner and details of any action the local authority has taken about the site.
However, Cllr Conway noted that there were only 11 sites currently listed on the register for the Metropolitan Area – with the most recent addition made on June 9th 2009.
“The most offensive derelict sites in Tramore are not on the register and that’s scandalous and an insult to people who have to live beside these monstrosities,” he said.
He specifically highlighted derelict sites in Tramore Heights and Monvoy Valley as well as Rockett’s Pub and called for an updated Derelict Sites Register to take account of such locations.
Director of Economic Development Lar Power said he understood Cllr Conway’s frustrations regarding derelict sites and said the council executive was frustrated as well.
Mr Power said Waterford City & County Council was addressing the issue of derelict sites throughout the city and county and was working towards finding “an appropriate solution”.
“When a building falls into dereliction, there are a myriad of reasons as to why that happens,” he said.