New plan for vacant shop use

New draught regulations that will make it easier for property owners to bring vacant and under-used commercial premises back into use again have just been brought forward.

The news has been welcomed by local TD Fergus O’Dowd, who has issued a number of calls for vacant shops in Drogheda to be brought back into use. He said the new regulations, brought forward by Minister Murphy and Minister English, would pave the way to allow Drogheda’s vacant commercial units to tackle the housing shortage.

‘I have consistently called on my government colleagues to re-introduce The ‘LOTS’ scheme, to bring in the living city initiative and introduce a tax on vacant properties to bring these much needed units back into use to not only ease the housing shortage but also to re-populate and breathe life back into Drogheda town centre,’ said Deputy O’Dowd.

‘These draft regulations brought forward to government today, if approved by the Oireachtas, will allow certain vacant commercial premises such as empty retail units and “over the shop” type spaces to be converted to homes without the need for planning permission.’

He said Minister Murphy had confirmed to him that he intends to streamline the various regulatory requirements relating to the conversion of vacant spaces for residential use.

‘All elements of the three sets of proposals brought forward today have the potential to have a very real and positive impact on towns such as Drogheda,’ he said. ‘The proposal will be brought before the Oireachtas in early 2018.’