Latest news with #UrbanRegenerationandDevelopmentFund
Irish Independent
28-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Derelict property seized by Wexford County Council sells for €18,000 over its asking price
The property was identified as being suitable for acquisition under the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) programme which requests local authorities to act as the conduit for getting long-term vacant and derelict properties into the ownership of those who will return them to use. Valued at €75,000, a best and final offer of €93,000 was received on April 4, 2025 and the property is now to be sold to Galina McDonald of Maytown, Tagoat. The purchaser is required to 'substantially complete works' on this property, so as to render it non-derelict and return it to productive use (residential), within 24-30 months from the date of closing of the sale. There will be a buy back option for the council should the works not be completed within the required timeframe. Properties acquired by local authorities under this programme must be offered for sale on the open market so as to bring them back in to use in a timely fashion.
Irish Independent
07-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Event management company buys derelict building from Wexford County Council for €70,000 above asking price
A property purchased by Wexford County Council (WCC) via compulsory purchase order (CPO) has been sold to an event management company for €70,000 over its asking price. The council acquired 111 North Main St through the Derelict Sites Act on October 11, 2024 from a Mr Martin Ryan and is now set to be sold to Lantern Events Limited for €195,000 who are required to 'substantially complete works on the property, so as to render it non-derelict and return it to productive use' within 24-36 months of the sale. 111 North Main Street was identified as being suitable for acquisition under the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) programme. The intention of this programme is to have local authorities, in this instance WCC, act as the conduit for getting long-term vacant and derelict properties into the ownership of those who will return them to use. Properties acquired by local authorities under this programme must be offered for sale on the open market so as to bring them back in to use in a timely fashion. Accordingly, WCC appointed an independent sales agent to value and manage the sale of the property on the open market. This property was valued at €125,000 and was advertised for sale through the estate agent's website. A best and final offer of €195,000 was received on April 11 of this year. The proposed purchaser has confirmed that it is their intention to return the ground floor of the property to commercial use and residential use on the upper floors.
Irish Independent
06-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Council sells former Wexford foodstore for double its asking price as purchaser confirms residential units plan
Wexford People Today at 01:00 Wexford County Council (WCC) has acquired the Crossroads Foodstore at Wygram Place via the Derelict Sites Act Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO). The property is now to be sold to Seaant Holdings of Ardcavan for €205,500 who are required to 'substantially complete works on the property, so as to render it non-derelict and return it to productive use' within 24-36 months of the sale. There will be a buy-back option of WCC should the works not be completed within the required timeframe. Crossroads Foodstore was identified as being suitable for acquisition under the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) programme. The intention of this programme is to have local authorities, in this instance WCC, act as the conduit for getting long-term vacant and derelict properties into the ownership of those who will return them to use. Properties acquired by local authorities under this programme must be offered for sale on the open market so as to bring them back in to use in a timely fashion. Accordingly, WCC appointed an independent sales agent to value and manage the sale of the property on the open market. This property was valued at €100,000 and was advertised for sale through the estate agent's website. A best and final offer of €202,500 was received on February 6 of this year. The proposed purchasers have confirmed it is their intention to turn the former Crossroads Foodstore building into residential units. Prior to its closure in 2013, the Crossroads Foodstore had operated for 44 years in Wexford town. It had been run by the Murphy family with Erdie and Sinead behind the counter until they took the decision to close down in August, 2013 due to the former's cancer diagnosis. In October of 2014 Erdie lost his battle with cancer with hundreds turning out in Wexford town to remember a man who ran one of the most popular shops in the area for many years.
Irish Independent
01-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Plans to sell County Mayo hotel where Land League was founded have been shelved
The council's Director of Services for Planning, Catherine McConnell, told county councillors that a party who had sought to purchase the 44-bedroom hotel have decided not to proceed with the sale. No reasons were given for this decision. The local authority formally agreed to sell the hotel to private developers last December. It had been expected that the €700,000 sale would proceed and that the property, and potentially the adjoining Glenpark building, would reopen to the public as a hotel. Phase 1 of the proposed development would have seen the refurbishment of the hotel building as a 22-bedroom commercial hotel. The second phase would have involved works on the Glenpark building, which currently houses the motor tax office, to create an extra 22-bedroom accommodation block. Funding had been allocated to redevelop the Imperial Hotel as an innovation hub under the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund in 2021. Mayo County Council subsequently made two expressions of interest requests for parties interested in purchasing the hotel. Ms McConnell said she did not believe that a third request 'would be any more successful and would further prolong the time period for the redevelopment of the property'. The Imperial Hotel, which was the founding location for the Land League in 1879 was later purchased by Mayo County Council in 2011 for €800,000 but has since fallen into a dereliction. The building is currently suffering from water dilapidation and a partially collapsed roof. Some local representatives requested that URDF funding be used to turn the building into civic offices. Council officials repeatedly said that URDF funding could not be used by local authorities to refurbish buildings for their own use. Ms McConnell proposed that the local authority 'immediately revert to the original proposal as approved under the URDF Project for Castlebar'. 'The Castlebar MD [Municipal District] team will now prioritise work needed to procure the sub-consultants to progress the preparation of the necessary drawings and documents which will form the basis of the tender package for the project,' Ms McConnell wrote. ADVERTISEMENT Cllr Donna Sheridan, Cathaoirleach of Castlebar Municipal District (Fine Gael) said it was 'extremely disappointing' that the plans to sell the hotel to private developers had fallen through and called for adequate staffing levels to advance the original proposal. Councillors from the Castlebar Municipal District Area had threatened a motion of no confidence in Kevin Kelly, Mayo County Council's Chief Executive, over the level of staff in their municipal district area. This motion was postponed in light of the passing of Mr Kelly's mother, who was laid to rest earlier this week. 'It would have been brilliant to have a hotel in the Mall, it's gone out to expressions of interest twice and unfortunately this hasn't worked to now we need staff to progress the URDF,' Cllr Sheridan told the Irish Independent. Independent councillor Michael Kilcoyne, who opposed the sale of the property in 2011, said it was 'appalling' that the building had been left empty for so long since the council purchased it. Cllr Kilcoyne said there should be a room in the facility, when redeveloped, dedicated to Michael Davitt. 'Mayo County Council has dragged and dragged its feet on this, just like everything else in the county. It doesn't surprise me at all,' Cllr Kilcoyne told the Irish Independent. Cllr Cyril Burke (Fine Gael) who was in favour of reopening the Imperial Hotel as a commercial Hotel, said he was 'very disappointed' that the sale had fallen through but did not support the council seeking another expression of interest from private purchasers. Cllr Burke said 'the ideal situation' would have been develop a hotel at the property given the shortage of hotel accommodation in Castlebar. "If those people couldn't progress it as a hotel I don't know if there is any point in investigating the matter any further. We are so long waiting now we need something to happen,' Cllr Burke told the Irish Independent.
