€59.8 million boost to housing adaptation grant scheme
€59.8 million is be made available for the Housing Adaptations for Older People and People with a Disability Scheme.
The investment allows for extensions to be built for people with a disability, as well as housing adaptations to improve mobility aid with grants of 80% being funded from the Department of Housing, Planning, Community & Local Government, with an additional 20% funding coming from local authority budgets.
Grants apply to owner-occupied private housing, along with houses purchased under the Tenant Purchase Scheme, private rented accommodation, accommodation provided under voluntary housing schemes and accommodation occupied by persons living in communal residences. Speaking in May, the then Minister for Housing, Simon Coveney, said it provided a significant social benefit by facilitating citizens to continue the independent occupancy of their own homes.
“The additional funding which I am providing for this Programme in 2017 will allow local authorities increase the number of citizens they can support and, in addition, it will provide a boost to the construction sector nationally, with the benefits being spread to local economies across the country,” said Mr Coveney.
Meanwhile, Kerry County Council’s website states the type of work allowable under the scheme includes provision for access ramps, downstairs toilet facilities, stair-lifts, accessible showers, adaptations to facilitate wheelchair access, extensions and any other works which are ‘reasonable necessary for the purposes of rendering a house more suitable for the accommodation of a person with a disability’. KERRY properties continue to make a splash at the annual Allsop online auction in which nine properties from the Kingdom sold at July’s auction.
The properties represented a cross-section of commercial, residential and holiday homes from all over Kerry with a combined sales return in excess of €1 million. Moreover, six of the nine properties sold for above the reserve price suggesting strong interest in Kerry properties. The sole commercial property sold is an office investment at New Street, Killarney - currently leased by Kerry Education and Training Board. This sold for €496,000, which had a reserve of between €350,000 and €370,000.
Further south in Waterville, a vacant two-bedroom apartment sold for €55,000, while a detached four bedroom house DENNY Street in Tralee is host to some of best examples of Georgian architecture in the county and with just 20 percent of its buildings empty, and 40 percent having empty floor space at first floor level, Kerry County Council, the Heritage Council and Tralee Chamber Alliance hosted a special seminar recently on the future of Denny Street.
The seminar focused on ways to maximise the use and efficiency of properties on Denny Street while having regard to its important history and heritage features. Technical advice on building conservation, energy efficiency, conservation grants, fire and access, town centre management and improvement were provided by international and national speakers, which included a Conservation Architect, a Fire Officer, a Conservation Officer, the Heritage Council and a Director of Architecture and Design from Scotland.
Discussions focussed on how to revitalise the street, what practical solutions could be used to improve the street and buildings, and how the street can be better connected to the wider town centre.
“The positive energy and enthusiasm displayed by those in attendance was exceptional. The setting up of a prize fund for at Spunkane (also in Waterville) sold for €191,000, €31,000 higher than its starting reserve of €160,000.
Properties in North Kerry were strongly represented with two three-bedroom holiday homes at ‘Sand Dune Cottages’ in Banna Beach selling for €52,000 and €49,000. Both had reserves of €35,000 and €45,000. In Lixnaw, €75,000 was paid for a detached house that is in the middle of completion. In nearby Listowel, eight unfinished units at Ballygologue Road sold for €66,000 – well above the €25,000 to €35,000 reserve price. Also in Listowel, a vacant detached four-bedroom house in Clieveragh, sold for €135,000 (up on the reserve price of €130,000).
Lastly, in Tralee’s Urban Terrace an end-of-terrace, two-bedroom house went for €40,000. secondary school students for murals, the potential for a rates incentive package and development contribution scheme proposals for use of protected structure were just some of the other ideas discussed,” said Victoria McCarthy, Architectural Conservation Officer with Kerry County Council.