Tipperary council plans information meetings about new Above The Shop housing grant

The new Vacant Above the Shop scheme offering grant support of up to €140,000 was debated at the latest monthly meeting of Carrick-on-Suir Municipal District councillors

Tipperary County Council is to host information webinars and meetings for property owners interested in availing of the Government’s new Vacant Above the Shop Grant scheme that will provide up to €140,000 support for converting empty space above commercial premises into homes.

The council’s plan to organise a series of information meetings about the grant scheme announced last month by Housing & Local Government Minister James Browne was revealed at Carrick-on-Suir Municipal District’s monthly meeting.

Carrick MD Director of Services Brian Beck told the meeting in Carrick Town Hall it was important shop owners and traders are aware of the grant, which was announced by Minister Browne as he confirmed the continuation of the popular Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant up to 2030.

Mr Beck outlined that a grant of up to €95,000 will be provided where one residential unit is being created in under utilised space above commercial premises.

An additional grant of up to €20,000 will be provided where two residential units are being created and a further €20,000 where three or more residential units are created.

A grant of up to €5,000 will also be available to finance expert advice to property owners on converting these properties into homes, bringing the total grant aid available to €140,000.

The Minister also announced extra funding of up to €40,000 on existing grant levels (of €50,000 and €70,000) where an entire commericial property is being converted into more than one residential unit.

Mr Beck said planning and fire officers will attend the series of information meetings to give advice to property owners on how to go about applying for the grant.

He described the grant scheme as a huge opportunity for the owners of commercial properties in towns.

“Every family that moves back into the town is supporting the town.

“For a shop owner who has space over their shop, they can get rent to support their business by bringing that space back into productive use.”

Carrick-on-Suir Fianna Fáil Cllr Kieran Bourke welcomed the new accommodation over the shop grant as a “fantastic” scheme with serious incentives for the owners of such properties.

“I can think of three to four businesses in Carrick-on-Suir that would jump at this now.”

He recalled the very informative and well attended information night the council hosted in Carrick-on-Suir in early 2024 for the owners of vacant and derelict properties about grant supports available to them and looked forward to a similar information night in the Carraig Hotel about this new scheme.

The one concern he highlighted was if these vacant spaces over shops become homes, where will be the parking facilities in Carrick-on-Suir and other towns in the country for their residents.

Parking spaces were being reduced so where do these people park their cars, he asked.

“It’s a great idea and I am all for it but I can see it creating a problem going forward,” he added.

Mr Beck responded that he wasn't expecting huge numbers of extra residential properties arising from this grant scheme. He stated that if the council received between 5 and 15 applications for Carrick-on-Suir he would be satisfied.

He said the council hadn't carried out analysis in relation to on-street car parking. But given the number of properties they were talking about, the council was satisfied there will be enough parking spaces to cater for the increase. He noted that a lot of town centre properties have under-utilised big yards where residents could park their vehicles.

Fellow Carrick-on-Suir Cllr David Dunne expressed concern that some existing over the shop accommodation was very sub-standard.

“I am dealing with a lot of foreign nationals and the only accommodation they can get is over the shop and the standard is not great.”

Cllr Dunne said the last thing they wanted was “cowboy builders coming in and squeezing people like cattle in a mart” into over the shop accommodation.

This grant scheme would need to give priority to compliance with building standards, he added.

Mr Beck promised to bring the councillors concerns to the attention of the Town Centre First Office.

He pointed to the popular Croí Cónaite grant scheme for vacant properties where the building works for successful applicants were primarily carried out by local smaller building firm with local building materials suppliers also benefitting.