DARRAGH O'BRIEN TD
  • HOME
  • About Darragh
  • News
  • Parliamentary Questions
    • Housing, Planning & Local Government PQ's
    • School PQs
    • Foreign Affairs PQS
    • Oral Questions
  • Newsletters
  • Videos
  • PHOTOS
  • FIANNA FAIL
  • CONTACT
  • DATA Protection Statement

News

Vacant pubs accounted for one-fifth of planned conversions of vacant commercial properties into homes in 2022

27/2/2023

 

The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, today published figures that showed that one-fifth of notifications received by local authorities in the last year to convert certain vacant commercial premises into homes related to former pubs.
One year ago, Minister O’Brien extended and amended existing regulations exempting certain types of vacant commercial premises from planning permission - where it is intended to provide residential units - to include former pubs. The regulations aim to promote the re-use of vacant commercial buildings for much-needed housing supply and to renew urban areas. The extension of the regulations to include pubs was intended to increase housing supply through this vehicle. The regulations, a part of the government’s Housing For All plan and Town Centre First Policy, are in place to the end of 2025.
In 2022, local authorities received notifications of 260 exempted developments of this type. Fifty-three of these (with the intention to provide a total of 169 homes) related to pubs. Overall, of the 260 notifications received, plans put forward were aimed at providing 665 homes.
Today’s figures also show that since 2018, when the exemptions were first introduced, local authorities have received notifications relating to the provision of 2,066 homes.
Commenting on the one-year anniversary of signing the new regulations, Minister O’Brien said:
“These figures show that government regulations to allow former, vacant pubs be converted into homes without needing planning permission is helping to tackle the problem of vacancy. In just ten months, the owners of 53 former pubs have notified local authorities of their intention to use this exemption. In recent years towns and villages have regrettably seen pubs close their doors for the last time but these exemptions are helping to provide housing, including ‘over the shop’ living in once-vacant spaces. These conversions are also helping to revitalise our town centres, something the government is committed to achieving through our ‘Town Centre First’ policy.’"
The figures have been published as the department prepares to launch today (Monday 27 February) the second phase of its national ad campaign to raise awareness of the government’s vacant property supports. 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, said:
“Right across the country the public are responding to the supports available for turning vacant property into homes. Over the next two weeks, we’re going to highlight both the planning permission exemptions for converting vacant commercial property into a home and the Repair and Leasing Scheme. 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. We urge anyone interested in buying, selling or leasing a vacant property that could be a home to visit gov.ie/vacancy or contact their local authority’s Vacant Homes Officer.”



Comments are closed.
    Picture

    NEWS

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015

Darragh O'Brien TD


Address

Darragh O'Brien TD
Leinster House
Kildare Street
Dublin 2

Telephone

T:  01-6183802

Email

At present, and as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, I am not holding my regular meetings across our towns and villages in North County Dublin. However, both I and my office are happy to speak to you and assist you with any issues you may have.

For all housing, planning or heritage related queries please don’t hesitate to contact:
Email: minister@housing.gov.ie
Phone: 01-8882000
Postal address: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Custom House, Dublin 1, D01 W6X0
 
For all constituency related queries please don’t hesitate to contact:
Email: Darragh.obrien@oireachtas.ie
Phone: 01-6183802
Postal address: Dáil Éireann, Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2.
 



  • HOME
  • About Darragh
  • News
  • Parliamentary Questions
    • Housing, Planning & Local Government PQ's
    • School PQs
    • Foreign Affairs PQS
    • Oral Questions
  • Newsletters
  • Videos
  • PHOTOS
  • FIANNA FAIL
  • CONTACT
  • DATA Protection Statement