Clare County Council has identified 22 properties in the county so far this year as being derelict.
The local authority has noted an increase in the number of derelict and vacant properties on the market since the launching of the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant last winter.
The council claims it has received approximately 200 queries on the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant with 100 formal applications submitted.
Of these, nine have been approved, nine have been approved in principle and 72 are marked as being “in progress”.
The eligibility criteria for the scheme was amended in May to make vacant properties build prior to 2007 eligible and to open the scheme to rental properties among other changes.
Four derelict sites have been acquired by the local authority through Compulsory Purchase Order since the beginning of the year.
Two bungalows in Spanish Point, one in Dough and another at Breaffy South, have been acquired.
In addition, a three-storey commercial building at 20 Parnell Street, Ennis and a two-storey dwelling at Church Street, Scariff have been CPO’d.
The council has noted that it will be commencing work on two further CPOs with details to be revealed shortly.
