Almost 100 ghost estates in Cork
Thursday February 04 2010
THE number of so called 'ghost estates' across Cork has reached unprecedented levels - with almost 100 now dotted in towns and villages across the county.
According to the National Institute for Regional and Spatial Analysis (NIRSA) a 'ghost estate' consists of developments of more than 10 houses constructed post 2005, where more than 50% of the units remain either vacant or under construction.
A report issued by that same body has shown that a total of 96 such estates exist in Cork – the largest number of any county in the country.
They estimate that there are a total of 621 such estates nationwide, with more than 300,000 houses now lying idle. NIRSA director Professor Rob Kitchen said there is now a question of what to do with these estates.
"Demand may return relatively quickly in urban areas when the economy picks up as such estates may be used to dealing with social housing waiting lists. However, it is likely that demand driven by demographic change in rural areas will be weak, given that recessions generally lead to rural emigration," said Professor Kitchen. "It, therefore, seems likely that many properties in rural areas will remain empty for quite some time before the market picks up again."
He said that while forecasts would point to an increase in population levels across rural areas in time, there are question marks as to whether the empty homes will still be habitable when that happens.
"Unless a strategy is put in place maintain them, they will be left to the elements and will quickly deteriorate."
Professor Kitchen said that there are also the concerns of those people already living in these estates that need to be addressed.
"There are obvious social issues such as having few neighbours and other more practical issues regarding lack of street lighting, unfinished pavements and green areas and a lack of public transport," he said.
Cork East Labour TD Sean Sherlock said the figures released by the NIRSA had highlighted the difficulty facing local authorities in Cork.
"Many people paid high prices in good faith to live in these estates, many of which have been left unfinished and abandoned by developers. These homeowners then seek to have the estates taken into council management, however it is often the case that they do not meet council standards and remedial work is needed," said Deputy Sherlock.
In some instances the council are able to draw on a bond paid by the developers to the council before work commenced in the event that they were not completed. However in many cases the bond is not enough to cover the cost of the remedial work.
"If the NIRSA say there are 96 ghost estates, it is almost certain that there are an abundance of other new estates that are inhabited that also need to be taken into the charge of local authorities," said Deputy Sherlock.
- BILL BROWNE
