New web portal helps link entrepreneurs with empty Tipperary premises and seek council grant

Details about the web portal for the Vacant Business Property Reopen Grant Scheme were unveiled at Tipperary County Council's monthly meeting

Tipperary County Council has set up a web portal to promote its Vacant Business Property Reopen Grant scheme that helps entrepreneurs find a suitable empty premises in the county for their business and even visualise what it could look like.

Information on the new web portal -tipperarycoco.vbrgrant.ie – was outlined to councillors at Tipperary Council's April meeting.

The Vacant Business Property Reopen grant scheme offers grant support up to the value of 90% of annual business rates, depending on location, to business people setting up an enterprise in a vacant premises that qualifies for the scheme. There is no upper limit on the amount awarded.

Director of Economic Development & Enterprise Services Damien Ginty said the portal was designed to enable prospective business owners to apply for the VBR grant scheme, which is a Tipperary County Council initiative aimed at reducing vacant commercial properties, supporting new businesses and stimulating town centre activity.

But as well as information on the grant and how to avail of it, he said the portal is also designed to allow grant applicants visualise what a vacant property could look like if it was revamped for whatever business the applicant wants to open.

Council Informations Systems Project Leader Ruth Maher and Economic Development Officer Kathleen Prendergast gave a presentation at the meeting about the web portal, which is a collaboration between Tipperary County Council and MyHome.ie

Councillors were told the portal collates informaton on vacant commercial properties that are available in the county and the grants and supports available to businesses wishing to turn them into businesses.

You can find out the number and location of vacant properties on the market for sale or rental across the county.

You can zone in on any of the vacant properties featured to view a picture of the premises, photos of the interior and floor plans and who is offering the property for sale or rent.

Information on the asking price for the property, planning applications for properties around it and services and facilities surrounding it such as schools, public transport, parking, retail and leisure amenities are also available. The different categories of shops and businesses operating in the surrounding area are also listed and franchise opportunities available are also provided.

Using AI technology, the portal can produce a visual of what the premises could potentially look like if converted into the enterprise of your choice.

Councillors were shown a vacant property in Cashel and what it could like if transformed into a café.

A brochure detailing all the information on a vacant property listed on the web portal can be printed out.

Kathleen Prendergast said the Council intends to use the web portal to market the VBR grant scheme, which opened last October. She urged councillors to spread the word about the portal.

Cllr Annemarie Ryan from Tipperary Town said the web portal was very impressive and a huge amount of work went into setting it up.

She noted the Council was using data from My Home.ie of vacant commerical properties for sale and to let and requested that it also use the list of vacant properties availing of the Council's Rates Abatement Scheme. She also requested the portal include a link to the Council's Planning Section.

Ruth Maher said other vacant property records could be added to the portal as well as those of My Home.ie. She thanked Cllr Ryan for her suggestion about linking the portal to the Council's Planning Section and promised to look at adding such a link.

The Council's Economic Development & Enterprise Strategic Policy Committee Chairperson Cllr Marie Murphy said the web portal was a “fantastic piece of work”.