Between 15% and 17% of commercial buildings in the north west are vacant.
County Sligo still has the highest commercial vacancy rate in the country while both Donegal’s and Leitrim’s vacancy rates are rising.
These figures, released today, come from GeoDirectory, which was jointly established by An Post and Ordnance Survey Ireland to create and manage what is Ireland’s only complete data base of commercial and residential buildings.
The figures show the five counties with the highest vacancy rates were all located in Connacht which, the survey says, is a sign of the ‘prominent east-west divide in terms of commercial activity.’
Sligo’s commercial vacancy rate remained at 18.9% in the fourth quarter of last year . . . that continues to be the highest vacancy rate in the country.
Sligo Town had the highest commercial vacancy rate in County Sligo at 22.5%, while Enniscrone had the lowest, at 19.3%.
In County Donegal, the commercial vacancy rate increased by 0.3% to 15.9% in the last quarter of 2019.
Ballybofey had the county’s highest vacancy rate, at 27.7%.
Ballybofey had been the town with highest vacancy rate in the country but it has now dropped to second place, behind Edenderry in County Offaly.
Buncrana had the lowest vacancy rate in County Donegal, at just over 13%.
In Leitrim, the commercial vacancy rate increased to 16.6%, with Carrick on Shannon having a rate of 17.6%.
Sligo accounts for 1.7% of commercial address points nationally while Donegal accounted for 4.1% and Leitrim less than 1%.
Meanwhile, trends in the use of commercial properties in urban areas show more gyms, cafes and bars, as well as more properties offering beauty and men’s grooming services.
