Council granted permission to acquire derelict building in heart of Waterford city

An Bórd Pleanala has granted permission for Waterford City and County Council to acquire a property at 29 Great George’s Street in Waterford City.

The property, which was the subject of the application for consent for compulsory acquisition, comprises a terraced three-bay three-storey house with a vacant shopfront at ground floor level. 

The subject property is positioned to the west of the entrance into George’s Court Shopping Centre and is listed as a 'Protected Structure'.

It is described as "the Vintage Factory/Arch Coffee Shop" within board documents.

The planning inspector, who visited the site, noted that the overall property is in a poor state of repair. 

The signage board above the shopfront shows damage, there is vegetation present at ground floor level and all three windows at first floor level are boarded up.

The inspector said: “In conclusion, I consider that the property detracts to a material degree from the amenity, character and appearance of land in the neighbourhood, which in my view, renders it derelict.” 

There was one objection to the acquisition, on behalf of the property owner.

The owner said that they were anxious to work with the Council to restore the property. To this end, they wrote a letter to the Council requesting their assistance in relation to the relevant grant aid for the project. 

The Bord Pleanala decision documents say that the owner hoped the Council would look favourably upon the request to not compulsorily acquire the property "as the Registered Owner needs time and space to do this work".

An Bord Pleanala granted the application for Council acquisition on September 12.