Red House Hotel labelled a ‘derelict site’ by Kildare County Council

The former Red House Hotel on the main road between Naas and Newbridge has been designated a derelict site by Kildare County Council. The site of the once popular wedding venue at Newhall may now be subject to an annual levy of 7% of the market value.

An official notice posted on the security gate of complex states that Kildare County Council is of the opinion that the property is a derelict site under Section 8 of the Derelict Sites Act 1990.

The Environment Section of the local authority has also given notice that the site has been entered in the Derelict Sites register.

The company Blockstar Ltd acquired the Red House site from NAMA in 2014.

Blockstar Ltd, which was established in 2008, is registered in Kilmallock, Co Limerick, and is involved in the civil engineering and construction sector.

Plans for a massive €15m film studio at the derelict site were withdrawn by the developer in 2017.

That application also included a 65-bedroom hotel, a 162-bed nursing home, and a media school.

In 2019, plans were lodged for a new roundabout to provide a new access point to the Red House Hotel and adjoining properties.

The plans also allowed for the provision of a 2.5m pedestrian and cyclist lane to the south of the proposed roundabout.

In February 2005, a massive fire caused extensive damage to the hotel and up to eight fire brigade units from Naas, Newbridge, Maynooth and Athy battled the blaze for several hours.

No one was injured in the fire, which is understood to have started in the kitchen and rapidly spread through ducting into the roof.

The Derelict Sites Act defines a derelict site as any land that ‘detracts, or is likely to detract, to a material degree from the amenity, character or appearance’ of land in the neighbourhood of the land in question.

This definition may apply because of structures which are in a ruinous, derelict or dangerous condition or the neglected, unsightly or objectionable condition of the land or of structures on it, or the presence, deposit or collection of litter, rubbish, debris or waste.

Under the Derelict Sites Act 1990, local authorities are responsible for dealing with derelict sites in their area.

They can use certain powers to enforce the clean-up of these sites, such as rosecuting owners who do not comply with notices served, making compulsory land purchases or carring out necessary work themselves and charging the owners for the cost.

Each local authority must keep a register of all derelict sites in its area, containing the location, name and address of the owner, details of any action the local authority has taken and the current market value of each site.”