Council to buy derelict site for new homes in Portlaoise estate
Laois County Council has begun the process of buying the long-vacant site in Woodgrove, Portlaoise. Photo: Google Maps
AN overgrown site in the middle of a Portlaoise housing estate could finally become available for new homes, after lying vacant for more than 25 years.
Laois County Council has begun the process of buying the site in Woodgrove through a compulsory purchase order (CPO), which would release the site to the local authority.
The long-vacant land could provide enough space for up to three new social housing units in the mature estate on the Ballyfin road, for people on the council waiting list.
The news was given to Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley, at the December meeting of Portlaoise Municipal District (MD).
The Independent councillor asked for an update on a proposal she had made at the previous month’s MD meeting, when she asked the council to use a CPO to purchase the site.
She was not satisfied with the answer given at the November meeting, when a council official said they had begun the legal process to place the Woodgrove land on the derelict sites register.
Cllr Dwane Stanley said the response completely ignored her request that the site be bought through a CPO, rather than going on the derelict sites register where it could be “sitting for years”.
When she sought a further update at the December meeting, council director of services Simon Walton confirmed that the CPO process was about to begin.
He said: “Further to a discussion I had with the regeneration unit, they gave their confirmation that the council is in the process of commencing a CPO process for the site.”
Welcoming the response, Cllr Dwane Stanley commented: “I appreciate that, it's good news as this is ongoing for at least 25 years. It’s overgrown and badly needs to be brought into use, as it would be ideal for two or three affordable houses.”
