Vacant properties 'sticking out like sore thumb' in Tipperary's largest town

Hitting them in the pocket is the only way to force the owners of vacant properties in Clonmel’s town centre to get moving and do something with those properties, the town’s Mayor has stated.

Cllr Pat English was responding to comments made by Cllr Tom Acheson at a meeting of Clonmel Borough District.

Cllr Acheson said that the former premises of three businesses in O’Connell Street - Dunnes Stores, the Ulster Bank and Heaton’s, along with vacant properties in Market Place - were “sticking out like a sore thumb” in the town centre.

He said they should focus on O’Connell Street in particular, put pressure on the owners of those properties and see if some progress could be made.

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Cllr Acheson also said it was great to see Town Regeneration Officer Shane Grogan and his team in Tipperary County Council making progress on other vacant and derelict sites.

The Mayor stated that very little progress had been made with the bigger companies. Charges should be imposed to force them to either sell up or use their premises.

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He said this would be a better approach than sending letters.

Cllr Richie Molloy said it would “change the dynamic” of O’Connell Street if the former Dunnes Stores, Ulster Bank and Heaton’s were brought back into use. People were forever giving out about the town centre and those three premises were dragging it down.

He agreed with the Mayor that hitting them in the pocket was the only way to go. Cllr Molloy said that Market Place was gone “very grubby” in the last couple of months.

He welcomed the fact that Derelict Sites notices had been served on every building there and that charges would be imposed if nothing was done with those properties.

Cllr Siobhán Ambrose said that in the last month two new stores had opened in the town centre and another, Carraig Donn, had opened in O’Connell Street.

It was great to see that people were still willing to open new stores and invest in the town. She said she was also in discussions with a couple of other companies with a view to opening shops in the town.

Cllr Ambrose said that the same issues were affecting every town, and dereliction was worse in other towns than it was in Clonmel.

There had been 40 applications for the council’s Painting and Enhancement Scheme and it had been a great success. She said it made a difference to the whole appearance of the town.

The Mayor said that they all welcomed new businesses opening in the town.

District Administrator Carol Creighton said they were making great progress on derelict sites with Town Regeneration Officer Shane Grogan and his team.

They had engaged with the owners of derelict properties, and others were welcome to contact the council.

There were property owners who hadn’t “pushed on,” but when they saw that this scheme was working they started to carry out work on their own properties.