Wicklow Council Acts on 10-Year Derelict Mount Usher View Development in Ashford

An incomplete housing development, Mount Usher View in Ashford, Co Wicklow, has been derelict for 10 years, drawing criticism from locals and nearby Mount Usher Gardens owner Konrad Jay, who calls it an «eyesore» and an «indictment on the planning system.» The site, originally granted planning permission in 2009 to Chieftain Construction Ltd for 24 units and commercial space, halted work in 2016 due to noncompliance.

Wicklow County Council issued a notice last month under the Derelict Sites Act, 1980, to register the property, which could lead to annual levies of 7% of market value or compulsory acquisition. A dangerous structures notice was also issued under the Local Government (Sanitary Services) Act, 1964. The site has changed hands multiple times, with Vartry Developments Limited receiving permission in 2024 to retain and complete the project. Developer Greg Kavanagh of Vartry Developments states he sold the site to Niall Molloy, a director of Beakontech Limited.

Beakontech Limited, now the owner after a restructuring, confirmed it has not been involved in the development but is surveying the property and liaising with the senior lender to explore options. Residents, including Sheila Clarke, express distress, while Councillor Gail Dunne highlights the community's anxiety for completion, noting the council's desire for the project to be finished to a good standard.