I'm delighted to share an announcement today from the Department of Housing that a €12.5 million investment for 40 social housing units in Kilkenny has been approved in principle.
The 40-unit scheme at Kilcreene Lower, Drakelands in Kilkenny City will include 15 x 1 bed and 15 x 2 bed apartments, along with 4 x accessible 2 bed houses that will be suitable for wheelchair users; 2 x 3 bed houses; 3 x 4 bed houses; and 1 x 4 Bed Group Home which will serve as a community dwelling.
This very welcome funding under the Social Housing Capital Investment Programme will deliver much-needed housing for people on our social housing list, including those with special needs. It’s a great, central location close to Kilcreene Hospital, close to town, and with great local amenities and services, but as Kilkenny City continues to expand on the western environs, with thousands of houses now being built or in planning, it does highlight again the urgent need to complete the Castlecomer Road to Freshford Road section of the Kilkenny Ring Road.
Nevertheless, it is great to see another potential social housing development coming on stream. Despite the numerous challenges we are facing, home-building is continuing at pace and Housing for All is delivering for the people of Kilkenny as the Department of Housing provides ongoing support Kilkenny County Council to deliver social and affordable homes. In the last few months alone we’ve seen two Affordable Purchase Schemes, at Nyne Park off the Callan Road and at Cluain Glasan on the Grange Road, open for applications, and in May my government colleague Darragh O’Brien launched Kilkenny’s first ever Cost Rental homes - also located in the Cluain Glasan estate.
Under the affordable housing schemes, which are primarily aimed at first time buyers, homes are made available to eligible applicants at a reduced price, with Kilkenny County Council taking an equity share in the affordable home, while Cost Rental is a new type of housing - brought to the Programme for Government and legislated for by the Green Party - which is designed for people whose income means they are not eligible for social housing or supports like HAP, but who struggle to rent on the open market.
When we launched Housing for All our aim was that everyone should have access to a home to purchase or rent at an affordable price, built to a high standard and in the right place. We backed that with a guaranteed over €4 billion a year in housing investment and a series of actions to deliver 300,000 new homes by 2030, including 90,000 social homes and 54,000 affordable homes. While there’s a lot of work still to do, it’s great to see this plan is delivering for Kilkenny and across the country.
Comments