Green TD Steven Matthews is proposing practical measures to bring vacant and derelict buildings back into use. The legislative Bill titled, Dereliction and Building Regeneration Bill, introduced by Deputy Matthews is designed to tackle this key issue and is progressing through the Oireachtas.
Deputy Matthews explained the importance of his proposed legislation:
“To tackle the housing crisis and reduce the carbon impact of construction, we need to take decisive measures to speed up refurbishment of older buildings for housing. It is unacceptable that many people cannot find accommodation yet there are vacant houses and buildings in our towns and villages throughout the country. My Bill will assist owners to take these empty buildings and above shop units and create homes. Too many of our towns are blighted by neglected and derelict buildings, it is time we refocussed on converting them to homes within our town centres.”
While legislation for derelict sites has been in place since the 1990s, it is no longer fit for purpose. This Bill proposes simple and practical changes to modernise how we approach this issue.
Deputy Matthews continued:
“The Green Party is committed to bringing life and living back into our towns, villages and cities and ensuring they are fit for purpose for people and families to live, work and for recreation. Our town centres should not be left to decline, they have enormous potential and are the core of many communities. This Bill will make it easier to bring life back into these heartlands of local life.”
A new application process called a ‘Towns Centres First application’ will make it faster and more streamlined for consenting building upgrades in older buildings for fire safety and accessibility whilst maintaining robust standards and requiring independent inspection. These older buildings are often at the centre of a town and well serviced but require nuanced consideration by planners and regulators. This will give certainty to owners, architects and builders who want to renovate, upgrade or convert many vacant units across our towns and villages, particularly those ‘over the shop’ units, concluded, Deputy Matthews.
Commenti