Request for more affordable houses to be built in Tipperary's largest town

Expressions of interest from developers in the Clonmel area who have planning approval for the construction of affordable homes will be invited by Tipperary County Council in the next few months.

District Administrator Carol Creighton has also stated that the council hopes to receive a range of property types that can be assessed, with successful proposals then being offered for affordable purchase to the general public.

She said this should help stimulate the housing market, as well as providing quality homes to successful applicants.

She also told a meeting of Clonmel Borough District that the council has land banks within the district, and these are reviewed on a regular basis and form part of the multi annual house building programme.

“Any lands zoned residential will form part of future housing delivery programmes and we are actively seeking to replace the lands that we have available for residential development across the county as we continue to deliver on housing projects,” her report to the meeting stated.

She was responding to a request from Cllr Siobhán Ambrose, who requested an update on the council’s current proposed social and affordable housing plans for this year for Clonmel and the villages around the town.

Cllr Ambrose said that housing continues to be a major issue, and the provision of affordable housing would help young people to get on the property ladder. She welcomed the fact that the council would look at expressions of interest from developers to build affordable houses.

Cllr Pat English said there was a serious lack of house-building going on around the country. There hadn’t been enough emphasis on affordable housing in an effort to make inroads into the housing lists.

Carol Creighton also reported that the county council is committed to allocating 14 houses in Ballyclerihan, together with the intended delivery of 38 dwellings in Glenconnor and a further six dwellings at Garryshane, Clonmel this year.

Departmental approval had been received in respect of 61 units at Thomas Street, Clonmel, and it’s anticipated that the legal process would begin in the coming weeks. Preparatory work had begun on site, independent of receiving support from the council at this time.

The council had also supported the scheme adjacent to Prior Park Road through the turnkey process and six units had been delivered to date.

The District Administrator reported that the council is also engaging with other parties in respect of the provision of social housing within the district.

Additional housing output is achieved through the Buy and Renew, Rental Assistance Scheme, Repair and Lease Scheme and through some acquisitions in particular circumstances, she added.