General Election candidate for Carlow-Kilkenny, Minister Malcolm Noonan has suggested developing a new urban quarter to deliver housing and bring a new vibrancy to the city centre.
Mr Noonan said: “Throughout the past few weeks of canvassing, what I have been hearing on the doors from the people of Carlow and Kilkenny is that the availability and affordability of housing remains a priority issue. I believe we have turned a corner on housing in the region with commencements of new homes up 85% in Kilkenny and 30% in Carlow under this Government compared to the previous five years, and there's huge potential for the next government to build on that, but if we’re really serious about solving the housing crisis there will have to be a vision and willingness to do things differently at the heart of the next government.
“This is what the Greens brought to the last term of government, the vision for a Town Centre First policy to bring vacant and derelict homes back into use, and the transformative Cost Rental model, which is making long-term, secure, affordable rental a reality for more and more people as we get more of those homes on stream.
“We want to build on that innovation, deliver Cost Rental homes at scale, and unlock the potential in our regional cities, town and villages. We have a target of on average 50-53,000 new homes per year, 15,000 of which will be affordable and Cost Rental and 12,000 social. At least 4,000 of these I hope will be renovated vacant units.”
The Green Party manifesto includes a detailed plan for tackling vacancy, with three pillars – reducing administrative and regulatory barriers to renovation work, providing financial support from the State, and expanding taxation on vacant properties. If returned to Government, Mr Noonan says the Green Party would establish a national online register of derelict sites to help councils and policymakers to identify sites for intervention.
“The Green Party is focused on getting people into secure, quality homes as swiftly as possible while, at the same time, breathing new life into our towns and boosting commercial hubs. Consider a space like the Abbey Quarter, purchased by Kilkenny County Council almost a decade ago - commercial development is not happening at a fast enough pace, so why not housing? Plans are already in place to provide a significant number of homes on about a third of the site - why not the main footprint?
“There is an opportunity there for a vibrant new urban quarter in the heart of the medieval city. There is scope to provide good, sustainable, cost rental, social and affordable homes there. The region has a growing population, with a lot of young professionals, families and older people who would be happy to be based within the city and have everything on their doorsteps."
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