Three vacant homes pit Church against State in Blackrock dereliction row

The terrace of homes was advertised for sale in December 2023 at the knockdown price of €200,000 for all three – a fraction of what houses in one of Cork’s more salubrious suburbs normally sell for

St Michael's Terrace Blackrock village Trish Stokes

THE Diocese of Cork and Ross is set to resist an attempt by Cork City Council to acquire a trinity of long-neglected, vacant, Church-owned homes on the upmarket Blackrock Road.

The trio of properties at Nos 1, 2 and 3 St Michael’s Terrace, were the subject of a Cork City Council notice of intention to acquire the site by Compulsory Purchased Order, published in the Irish Examiner earlier this month.

The terrace of homes, a longstanding eyesore adjacent to St Michael’s RC Church on Blackrock Road, were advertised for sale in December 2023 at the knockdown price of €200,000 for all three – a fraction of what houses in one of Cork’s more salubrious suburbs normally sell for. 

The Diocesan Trustees had put them on the market as the fastest, fairest, and most effective way of addressing the vacancies, according to the diocesan office at the time. The diocese had also pointed out that site had proven technically difficult, as it is fairly confined, which would add to the cost for development, including for approved housing bodies. This difficulty, the diocese said, had become evident when they prioritised the houses in the summer of 2023.

The Diocesan Trustees had put them on the market as the fastest, fairest, and most effective way of addressing the vacancies, according to the diocesan office at the time.

However Cork City Council’s intervention came after taking “all reasonable steps”, including ongoing dialogue with the site owners, which failed to reach a resolution.

The Council said the site had been the subject of “longterm dereliction without resolution for many years” and that the site owners had been made aware of “potential avenues for redevelopment, via grants or other options”.

The Council placed the terrace on the Derelict Site Register in 2023 which allows them to consider the compulsory acquisition of the site. They have now signaled intent to do so by publishing a notice on June 5 last. A spokesperson said the focus of all actions undertaken is “to return properties to use and remove dereliction”.

The Council placed the terrace on the Derelict Site Register in 2023.

Under the Derelict Sites Act, 1990 (as amended by the Planning and Development Act, 2000), the Diocese, as site owner, has until July 8 next to submit an objection to the Council opposing the proposed CEO. If an objection is made and is not withdrawn, the proposed CPO acquisition will be referred to An Coimisiún Pleanála for determination.

In response to queries from the Irish Examiner, the Diocese said it attended to appeal the CPO proposal and intended to return the properties to market, having resolved a title issue.

“In light of the fact that the Diocesan Trustees have been in ongoing communication with Cork City Council in relation to these properties, the Trustees will be appealing the proposal to compulsorily acquire them.

“Furthermore, rectification of title matters have been concluded in recent weeks and these properties are on the point of returning to the market for disposal,” a spokesperson said.

St Michael's Terrace Blackrock village Trish Stokes

If the properties do return to market, private house hunters may be in a position to apply for vacant property grants to return them to use. There’s also the possibility that an approved housing body may look at increasing the density from the current three units, subject to a planning grant.

St Michael’s Tce is set on a corner entrance to the parish carpark and community centre by St Michael’s Church. The houses predate the church and face down Church Avenue towards impressively redeveloped Marina.