Owners of derelict sites should be prepared to go to court as Westmeath County Council will be taking cases when people don’t meet the legal obligations associated with managing their sites.
County manager Danny McLoughlin explained at this week’s monthly meeting of Westmeath County Council that the council is not getting the level of engagement from the owners of derelict sites that he would wish for.
Sites may have been bought in better times, when owners had plans for development, but sites deemed to be derelict will attract “more penal” sanctions and site levies will be going up, he said at this week’s annual budget meeting.
Cllr Ken Glynn said the issue of derelict sites is becoming more of a problem than in previous years.
He and Cllr Mick Dollard both asked for a presentation to the council on the issue of derelict sites in the new year.
