Louth County Council are to receive €7m from government coffers to restore vacant or derelict residential and commercial buildings in town centres.
Following the latest update on the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF), given by the department of Housing this week, TD for Louth and East Meath, Fergus O’Dowd said:
“1,224 long-term vacant properties around Ireland have now been chosen and approved under this scheme and it is estimated these properties will create 5,406 homes for people and families all over Ireland.
“Louth County Council will be given funding to cover the purchase of the property and any works required to make the property more suitable for sale, like improving access, tidying up, opening to facilitate inspections, etc.
“They will then be offered for private sale to those who commit to bringing the property back into residential use.
“By repurposing the buildings that we already have, we are boosting available accommodation whilst also rejuvenating the towns and urban centres which we all acknowledge is an absolute key target across towns like Drogheda that has suffered from dereliction.
Minister of State for Housing, Alan Dillon said: “The URDF has been a real game-changer for our towns and cities, breathing new life into them and making them even better places to work in, to live in and to visit.
“Urban regeneration isn’t a luxury, but a real necessity for the beating heart of our urban centres and I’m delighted to see it in action across so many counties.”
