Derelict Laois AIB branch for sale at €125k
The derelict AIB premises in Portarlington has been an eyesore for many years
A NOTORIOUS derelict former AIB branch in Portarlington is up for sale, prompting hopes that it could be restored and converted for community use.
Long an eyesore on the town’s Main Street, the property has been placed on the market with local auctioneer Matt Dunne.
The Georgian two-storey over-basement house and adjoining bank are for sale by private treaty, with a disclosed reserve of only €125,000.
Planning permission was granted to the current owners some years ago to convert the property into apartments but the development stalled. Some minor works were carried out to improve the building’s unsightly appearance, such as the removal of dense creeper on the façade, but it remains a major blight in one of the town’s most prominent locations.
It was finally placed on the derelict sites register in 2022. Laois County Council confirmed late last year that it intended to acquire the property via a compulsory purchase order (CPO), a complicated and often lengthy process.
Independent councillor Aidan Mullins, who has repeatedly criticised the building’s unsightly appearance, is hopeful that Laois County Council will now consider purchasing the former bank building on the open market.
He said on social media on Friday: “I'll be asking the chief executive of Laois County Council to see if they could acquire this building for enterprise or community use.”
New owners would qualify for a vacant property refurbishment grant of up to €70,000 and it may also qualify for heritage grants as the house is a protected building.
The house started life as a rectory while the kiosk to the front, which became a bank in the 1950s, was added in the late 19th century. The AIB branch closed its doors in 2012.
