Revamp grants and incentives for vacant property owners outlined at Carrick-on-Suir information event

Caption for picture above: Pictured in the Carraig Hotel on  the Information Evening, for owners and leaseholders of vacant properties to hear about grants and schemes available, are from left: Anne Marie Devaney, Acting Senior Planner, Tipperary County Council; Nevan Phelan, Vacant Homes Officer, Tipperary Co. Council; Martin Moore, Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Tipperary; Tony Musiol, COSTEDC and Carrick-on-Suir Town First Team; Marie O'Gorman, District Administrator of Carrick-on-Suir Municipal District; Helen Cahill, Staff Officer, Carrick-on-Suir Municipal District; Olesia Yutkina, Admin Support to Commercial and Tourism Manager, Carrick-on-Suir; Sarah Jane Cleary, Commercial and Tourism Manager, Carrick-on-Suir, Patsy Fitzgerald, Secretary COSDA and Carrick-on-Suir Town First Team; Niall Walsh, COSDA and Carrick-on-Suir Town First Team and Áine McCarthy, Town Regeneration Officer with Tipperary Co. Council.

More than 50 people attended an information event in Carrick-on-Suir to learn about the funding schemes and supports available to assist the owners of vacant properties to revamp them and turn them into homes and businesses.

The information evening in the Carraig Hotel on Thursday, February 8 was hosted by the new Carrick-on-Suir Town Centre First team in collaboration with Tipperary County Council.

It was a timely event as Carrick-on-Suir, like many towns across Ireland, has a large number of vacant business premises in its town centre that has increased since the start of the year with the closure of In The Wardrobe boutique on Main Street and Café West at the West Gate.

The Nationalist counted 14 vacant premises on Main Street alone last weekend with Derelict Site notices posted on the front doors of about three of these properties.

Carrick-on-Suir Municipal District Cathaoirleach Cllr Kieran Bourke told the information evening every local authority in the country is placing a huge effort on tackling vacancy and dereliction in our towns.

He pointed out that Tipperary County Council has recruited a Town Regeneration Officer and Vacant Homes Officer to support the delivery of  the Government’s Town Centre First Policy and Vacant Homes Action Plan.
Town Centre First Team

Tony Musiol, who chairs the Carrick-on-Suir Town Centre First Team, updated those in attendance about the work of the team and its plans to work with Carrick-on-Suir Municipal District to create a Town Centre First Plan for the town

“The new plan will have a focus on capitalising on the significant investment the town has secured under the Rural Regeneration Development Fund,” he explained.

Mr Musiol outlined that a survey has been undertaken with Carrick’s community and business sector in order to input into the new plan.

He advised that updates on the progress of the plan will be published on the Carrick-on-Suir Town Centre First section of Tipperary County Council’s website.

Presentations were given by council officials based in the local authority's Housing, Planning, and Building Control sections.
They provided information on planning legislation, building controsl, fire regulations, and grants available for vacant and derelict properties.

 There was considerable interest in the grants available to vacant property owners and there was an informative questions and answers session with the audience.

The Croí Conaithe Grant and Repair and Leasing Scheme, administered through Tipperary County Council, act as incentives for bringing vacant and derelict buildings back into residential use.

More information on these schemes is available on the Council’s website  www.tipperarycoco.ie or by emailing vacanthomes@
tipperarycoco.ie

Carrick Municipal District Administrator Marie O’Gorman said it was an exciting time for Carrick-on-Suir. The transformational regeneration projects that have begun in the town will progress over the coming weeks and months to enhance  the town centre, making it a more attractive place to live, work and visit.