Donegal County Council has been urged to proceed with the option of taking over cordoned-off buildings on Market Square/ Main Street Letterkenny.
Numbers 2, 4 and 6 Upper Main Street have been cordoned off since June after being declared by structural engineers as potentially unsafe.
Letterkenny and Milford councillors attended a workshop yesterday where they received detailed information and discussed plans for the building.
Cllr Jimmy Kavanagh said it is “essential” that the council proceeds with a proposed compulsory purchase order on the building to have it demolished, adding that it is “absolutely vital” for Letterkenny that substantial progress is made on dereliction in the town.
Acknowledging that there will be an expense on the council, Cllr Kavanagh said the council will in turn benefit from an “excellent site”.
Cllr Kavanagh said the current cordon in the town centre is posing a hazard. “It’s a nightmare for any pedestrian. I’ve watched people with buggies trying to walk along there with traffic on top of them, it’s scary to watch.”
Cllr Donal Coyle also called for added urgency on projects that have been awarded €18.1million in Urban Regeneration and Development Funding, including the reimagining of the Market Square.
“We have very little to show for the regeneration of Letterkenny town over the last 5 years,” Cllr Coyle said.
“All we have is 100m of the LK Green Connect path and I don’t think that’s good enough.”
Cllr Coyle called for action on the unsafe buildings on Main Street to prepare Marker Square project, saying “delivery is what it’s all about.”
Cllr Ciaran Brogan praised the Letterkenny-Milford Municipal District’s regeneration team for its recent work programme addressing dereliction, revealing that the council has identified 46 owners of vacant properties and is proceeding with 12 CPOs.
Cllr Brogan said the council is sending out a strong message that it is “serious” about regeneration and supporting business owners who are frustrated about dereliction in the heart of the town.
“It’s very complex work but the work is going to be done,” echoed Mayor Gerry McMonagle.
The latest update from Donegal County Council in relation to the building currently cordoned off at Market Square said that it has engaged an independent Chartered Structural Engineer and legal representation to assist in addressing the issue.
“The Council will continue to liaise with all parties to ensure that the essential works necessary are carried out by the property owners, to make the properties and site safe and minimise closures to the existing public footpath, carriageway, and parking areas,” a statement said.
