New Grants Available for Refurbishment of Vacant Above-Shop Units
Shannon Chamber wishes to advise member companies and their employees that the Government that the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne recently announced new targeted measures aimed at unlocking unused spaces in cities, towns and villages by converting vacant and derelict buildings and unused above the shop areas into residential homes.
Grant types include:
Expert Advice Grant – provides funding of up to €5,000 towards having an appropriately qualified professional provide expert advice to the owner of a property.
Vacant Over The Shop Grant – applies to vacant ‘above the shop’ space in buildings in towns and villages, where the building was built prior to 2008 and the space/existing residential unit(s) have been vacant for two years or more prior to application. The ground floor commercial space may be vacant or in use at time of application but must remain in commercial use. The resulting units may be for the applicant’s principal private residence (PPR) and/or for rent and be registered with the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB).
Conversion of former commercial/public use buildings into full residential units Grant – includes top-up amounts where vacant former commercial/public use buildings are being converted in their entirety into two or more residential units.
Full details, including application forms and a comprehensive FAQ document, are available on the Clare County Council website at: [www.clarecoco.ie]
This initiative represents a valuable opportunity to bring vacant properties back into use and to increase residential accommodation in our towns and villages, with significant Government support.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply for the Expert Advice Grant in the first instance (where eligible). This will help determine the feasibility of proposed refurbishment works, particularly in relation to building regulations, fire safety, space, and access requirements.
By way of context, the existing scheme has already proven highly successful, with over 59 grants approved in the Shannon Municipal District to a value of €3.5 million. Of these, 29 projects have been completed, with €1.6 million in grants paid to date.
Shannon Chamber encourages members to consider whether this opportunity may be relevant to you or your business interests.
This is a further opportunity to add living space in our towns and villages throughout County Clare with Government support.