By Róise Collins
DONEGAL’S residential vacancy rate is more than double the national average and is currently sitting at ten per cent, according to a new report published this week.
The GeoDirectory Residential Buildings Report revealed that Donegal has the fourth highest residential vacancy rate in the state and is way above the national average of four per cent.
The major issue of dereliction across the county has been in the spotlight this week following a conference held in Letterkenny on Friday which was organised by the Letterkenny Cathedral Quarter and Letterkenny Tidy Towns.
The group of local volunteers from Letterkenny Cathedral Quarter have been advocating and working tirelessly to regenerate the historical Church Lane Street and surrounding areas to attract potential residents and businesses back to the town’s Main Street.
Amongst those in attendance at the conference was Róisín McLaughlin who grew up on Castle Street. She is frustrated because her home place was tumbled many years ago and has since lay derelict.
Mrs McLaughlin fondly reminisced on her childhood spent in the town that she described as a once predominately residential area. She said much of this area is now planned to be used as office space and criticised how this will not bring people back to living in the town.
She shared these concerns during the question and answer section of the conference.
During this section she also strongly advocated for bringing people and vibrancy back to live in the town’s dreary centre. Her contribution received a large applause from the crowd.
Speaking with the Donegal News following the event Mrs McLaughlin shared how she is really upset at the many derelict houses on Letterkenny’s Main Street that were recently perfectly liveable, but have fallen into a state of disrepair.
She said she meets people on a regular basis who feel the same, “they shake their head about the state of the town they were born and raised in”.
She is calling on them to be more vocal, and to come together at future events to voice their despair and displeasure. She believes this is how they will see the changes needed in the town.
Speaking at the event was Dr Rory Hearne, a lecturer in Social Policy from Maynooth University.
Throughout his research he has extensively explored the scandal that is vacancy and dereliction and how no town across the country has been left unscathed.
He stressed how this is especially concerning in the midst of a housing crisis.
Dr Hearne believes the problem has permeated so deeply into our country because of a lack of policy focused on tackling dereliction.
He explained how the current approach looks at what a property can be sold or bought for, instead of how it can be used to meet housing, community and environmental needs.
“Instead of buildings and properties being viewed as investments, they need to be looked at in how they can deliver on these basic human needs,” he said.
The Letterkenny Cathedral Quarter, are also very vocal about how current government policy has hindered progressive community development which they believe could potentially play a massive role in the regeneration of not only Letterkenny but towns across the country.
Also speaking at the conference was CEO of Development Trust NI, Charlie Fisher who extensively explored the idea of community ownership and the potential to revive towns.
He offered positive examples of what has been achieved through community ownership in the north, including the redevelopment of the former courthouse in Bangor which is now a thriving arts and culture hub.
The Letterkenny Cathedral Quarter will host a yard sale at Universal Books on the Church Lane this Saturday, July 29 to raise funds to support their hard work revitalising the town and are encouraging people to attend.
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