LETTERKENNY is to benefit from a €4 million Urban Regeneration Development Fund grant to offset the growing problem of dereliction in the town.
The scheme is aimed at tackling long-term vacancy and dereliction on a rolling basis.
According to Cllr Ciaran Brogan, who welcomed Tuesday’s announcement, the fund will allow the council to acquire derelict and vacant buildings and actively bring those properties onto the market for sale so they can be brought back into use.
“The priority use for the properties is for residential to help ease the housing crisis. A recent survey in the town identified 50 derelict or vacant properties which might benefit from this fund,” he said.
The council will now take some time to prioritise the best use of this funding to tackle those buildings in most need of investment sand will be engaging with property owners to progress the scheme.
Where possible acquisition will be sought by agreement but where, for example, an owner cannot be identified, the use of the Compulsory Purchase order may be used.
This is to be welcomed as another strand of the council’s work to regenerate Letterkenny alongside key projects such as the Courthouse and Market Square.
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