A former pub in Ferrybank which is owned by Waterford City and County Council has become a hub for anti-social behavior.
That's according to Cllr Eamon Quinlan who is calling on the local authority to redevelop the property.
There were plans for the building formally known as Flynn's pub and off-license to be turned into apartments in an effort to address the shortage of housing in the area.
Cllr Quinlan says because the premises has been left vacant, it's lead to a number of break-ins and it's alleged it could be related to drugs.
"Unfortunately because they've failed to develop the site the premises is continuously burgled, it's broken into on a regular basis.
"Only in the last few nights, we had a cat and mouse game on the roof of the premises between Gardaí and individuals who used sledgehammers to open up a large hole in the roof to get inside.
"We found quite a bit of drug-paraphernalia in the area so it appears to be used as a base of operations for a criminal element that is operating in the Ferrybank area," Cllr Quinlan said.
With the current shortage of social housing in the Ferrybank area, Cllr Quinlan said it is only more reason for the council to begin works on the building.
"We've seen plans from our housing department in terms of making this happen however it has appeared to has stalled-out pretty unfairly I must say.
"Local authorities are one of the only entities out there at the moment that can continue construction during Level Five lockdown so there's no legal impediment," according to Cllr Quinlan.
Cllr Quinlan says the council is continuously trying to maintain the property and local residents have expressed their fears.
"It's an older community that has been there for many many years and they're very nervous that we have this criminal activity going on - especially with the drugs, and the fact the individuals are engaged with breaking and entering.
"This has gone on too long...Waterford Council is paying a significant amount of tax-payers money constantly fixing things on the site.
"It's time we got a move-on and took this out of the equation by developing it into a 12-bed apartment block that will breathe a bit of life into the area," the Fianna Fáil Cllr said.
