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The building is located on Canal Road between Rathmines Road Lower and Ranelagh Road. The Journal

Dublin building collapse example of why derelict site levy should rise, says councillor

Cllr Hazel Chu says the 7% vacant site levy should increase.

THE COLLAPSE OF a derelict building in Dublin city centre is a sign that the government must increase the derelict site levy, according to Dublin City Green Party councillor Hazel Chu. 

The vacant building, which is located across the road from the Grand Canal in Dublin 6, partially collapsed this week, resulting in Dublin Fire Brigade having to attend the scene to make it safe. 

Speaking to The Journal, Chu said she was very frustrated about the incident, stating that some years ago in 2021 she tried to get the site rezoned for mixed use residential and commercial, but the proposal was rejected. 

Instead, it remained for commercial use only.

The building was placed on the vacant sites register in 2023.

Planning permission for the site was obtained in 2024, but no work had begun on the site prior to its collapse, she said. 

While the 7% derelict site levy was applied in 2023, it is clearly not enough to encourage the development of sites, Chu said. 

Each local authority keeps a Derelict Sites Register which includes the sites subject to an annual levy of 7% of its market value for being in a “ruinous, derelict, dangerous or neglected condition”.

The levy continues to apply until the site is no longer deemed derelict

“It is clearly not enough in terms of applying to derelict sites around the city,” she said, adding that the government is literally “letting buildings fall down before we actual move to do something about them,” said the former Lord Mayor of Dublin. 

She also questioned why some sites were being zoned for commercial use and not residential in the middle of a housing crisis. 

Chu has suggested higher levies could apply for larger developers who have an ability to pay higher rates and who leave sites vacant. 

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