723 New Homes Built in 12 months as part of Limerick Housing for All

Housing for All plan is working in Limerick claims Darragh O’Brien, TD and Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage of Ireland

The Housing plan is on target to meet the construction of 24,600 throughout Ireland homes in 2022

By I Love Limerick correspondent Stella Gordon

The Government’s Housing for All plan has delivered for Limerick over the past year claims Darragh O’Brien, TD and Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage of Ireland. 

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A range of measures were delivered, including investment in social housing; measures aimed at addressing viability and the delivery of new homes; additional supports for renters; measures to enhance construction sector and planning and land management reforms. Measures aimed at bringing vacant and derelict homes back into use were also introduced. 

One year on from its introduction, the Government has marked the first 12 months of the Government’s ambitious plan, citing the progress made in delivering housing for Limerick.

723 new homes have been built in Limerick in the 12 months to end of June 2022 (a 23.6% increase on the previous 12 months).

Commencement Notices for 782 homes were received in Limerick in the 12 months to the end of July 2022 (a 1.2% increase on the previous 12 months).

Planning permissions for 1,459 homes in Limerick to the end of 2022 (a 81.7% increase on the previous 12 months).

Approval for six new posts in Limerick City and County Council for local authority housing delivery.

Introduction of exemption from planning permission requirements for converting vacant Limerick pubs into homes. Between 2018 and 2021, 113 residential units were provided in Limerick through 52 notifications of exempted developments.

In 2021 the Government provided €615.87m in total funding for housing to Limerick City and County Council, a 12% increase on 2020.

In 2021, 323 new social homes were delivered.

There was a 38% reduction in the number of households on the social housing waiting list in Limerick at the end of 2021 compared to the first annual assessment conducted in September 2016.

Marking the anniversary, Darragh O’Brien TD, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage said, “When we launched, our aim was that everyone should have access to a home to purchase or rent at an affordable price, built to a high standard and in the right place. We backed that with a guaranteed over €4 billion a year in housing investment and a series of actions to deliver 300,000 new homes by 2030, including 90,000 social homes and 54,000 affordable homes. While there’s a lot of work still to do, we can see already, after the first 12 months that the plan is working in Limerick and across the country.” 

Other key measures delivered through the housing plan that benefit the people of Limerick include:

–       A new expanded Local authority Home Loan

–       Launch of the First Home Scheme

–       Significant funding made available by Government to assist local authority affordable housing delivery, for purchase and rent, through the Affordable Housing Fund

–       A revised cap on any rent increase and legislation on tenancies of unlimited duration

–       Homes ring-fenced for individual buyers through planning changes, with 62 homes ring-fenced in Limerick between May 2021 and mid-May 2022

–       Introduction of a Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant (through Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund) to incentivise the refurbishment of vacant homes in Limerick

–       Fair Deal Scheme reforms and Town Centre First policy to reduce vacancy

–       New National Housing Strategy for People with a Disability

–       Reformed planning process for large-scale developments in Limerick and elsewhere – greater certainty, clarity and public participation

–       Tax to activate vacant land zoned for housing, commencing in 2024.

–       Measures to increase construction sector capacity in Limerick.

–       A number of significant measures to accelerate research and innovation in the sector, including Enterprise Ireland’s new Built to Innovate Fund.

For more information on the Housing plan, go HERE 

For more stories on housing in Limerick, go HERE