Forced purchase of Portlaoise housing land 'very much a reality'

Legal action to forcibly buy a strategic piece of housing land in Portlaoise is "very much a reality" says Laois County Council.

For five years, the authority has been trying to buy a field beside O'Moore Place on the Mountmellick road, in order to add new social housing onto the estate, and put an end to anti-social activity and dumping in the large field.

Last June, Portlaoise Sinn Féin Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley slammed the long delay as "laughable".

Now time is up on an optional purchase, according to Director of Services Angela McEvoy.

"There is a meeting with pre-planning in two weeks time. The field is now on the Derelict Sites Register. A CPO is very much a reality now and the owners are very much aware of it," Ms McEvoy said.

The entrance to Doran's Field from the N80 Mountmellick Road.

It is five years since Laois County Council announced plans with the Co-Operative Housing body to buy the field and build 34 new houses extending from the estate, but they could not strike a deal with the landowners.

In 2019, the council had spent €400,000 knocking six houses to improve access in O'Moore Place and make way for an entrance to the new land, with the next phase said to be the new houses. 

Ms McEvoy gave the latest update to the July meeting of Laois County Council, after Cllr Dwane Stanley had again asked for it.

A Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) allows acquiring authorities like local authorities, to take land and property without the consent of the owner and provide compensation for this. The CPO is often used to allow a public infrastructure project to go ahead for the common good.