Supports to turn vacant commercial units into homes
In the last five years, Cavan County Council has received 20 notifications of 'intention to build' for a total of 48 homes from those planning to convert vacant commercial premises into homes.
The Minister for Housing, Darragh O’Brien, published figures this week going back to 2018.
These figures relate to regulations, which provide those planning on converting certain commercial properties into homes with an exemption from requiring planning permission. The regulations are aimed at increasing much-needed housing supply and renewing towns and communities.
Last year, Minister O’Brien amended the 2018 regulations to include an exemption for the conversion of vacant pubs. He extended the regulations to the end of 2025, as committed to under the Government’s ‘Housing for All’ plan and ‘Town Centre First’ policy.
In 2022, Cavan County Council received notifications of four exempted developments aimed at providing seven homes. Nationally, 260 notifications indicated intent to provide 665 homes.
Commenting on the figures, Minister O’Brien said: “Extra homes in Cavan are being provided due to these regulations that make it easier to convert certain vacant commercial premises, including vacant spaces over ground-floor premises, into housing. Crucially, these regulations also encourage town centre renewal, a Government priority. That is why I extended these exemptions until the end of 2025 last year."
The figures have been published as the second phase of the department’s national ad campaign to raise awareness of the Government’s vacant property supports begins. The campaign’s second phase highlights these planning permission exemptions and the Repair and Leasing Scheme.
Commenting on the campaign, the Minister of State for Planning and Local Government, Kieran O’Donnell TD, is urging people to look at the supports available to deliver homes in vacant properties: “The Repair and Leasing Scheme offers vacant property owners the opportunity to restore a property with the help of a local authority loan in return for guaranteed rent for a defined period of time by renting the property out for social housing. I urge anyone interested in buying, selling or leasing a vacant property that could be a home to visit gov.ie/vacancy or contact Cavan County Council’s vacant homes officer.”