Funding to tackle dereliction in Tipperary a 'step in the right direction but more is needed'

An allocation of €5 million to help end long-term vacancy and dereliction in Tipperary has been welcomed by Clonmel’s Mayor Richie Molloy as “a step in the right direction”.

However, he also stated that he believes that €5 million “wouldn’t go very far” and he hoped that another round of funding would be announced next year.

Clonmel has one of the highest rates of dereliction in the county and the town’s first citizen said he was very conscious of the many derelict buildings in the town centre area.

“So many businesses have invested huge money in their premises, but when there’s a derelict building next door it really brings down the whole area,” he says.

Cllr Molloy said that the only way to bring the heart back into the town centre is to get people back living there.
“After 6pm there’s no activity in town centres,” he said.

He hoped that in the next year or so there would be more people living above premises, and he called on Tipperary County Council to facilitate that by adjusting planning regulations.

The Mayor said that for one reason or another business owners didn’t have the funds to renovate premises, but he encouraged them to apply for this grant.

He hoped there wouldn’t be too much red tape involved in the process and he encouraged the owners of derelict buildings to contact the council.

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage said that the fund, from which Tipperary has received €5 million, aims to transform locations across the country, promote vibrant communities in urban centres and provide more homes where people can live close to local services and amenities.

Announced as part of the quarterly Housing for All progress update, the funding will be available to Tipperary County Council under the Urban Regeneration Development Fund (URDF) and the Department says it will act as a revolving fund, meaning it can be replenished and used into the future.

Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien said that the fund to specifically tackle long term vacancy and dereliction within towns and cities would help restore the urban heart of many of our communities, including those in Tipperary.

“It will also provide more homes in urban centres where people can live close to local services, amenities and employment, and has the potential to be truly transformative,” the Minister stated.