'It's the most important issue' - huge housing target set in Kilkenny
Huge target set by Kilkenny County Council within their Capital Programme for 2025 – 2030
The delivery of 1,670 homes is the target that has been set by Kilkenny County Council within their Capital Programme for 2025 – 2030.
Housing dominates the overall plan with an estimated overall spend in the area of €624.9 million.
The majority of the expenditure on housing is 100% grant funded.
However, Kilkenny County Council will have to provide match funding for the delivery of affordable housing (€1.0m) and cost rental units (€11.9m). It is intended to arrange a separate long term loan finance facility for these projects.
Delivery is to be spread across council builds, a council-owned development company, approved housing body schemes, affordable purchase options and cost-rental units. This equates to an average of 278 units per annum.
Details of the Capital Programme were shared with elected members at the most recent plenary meeting of Kilkenny County Council, where they were broadly welcomed.
Cllr David Fitzgerald described the housing delivery target as 'enormously ambitious' but 'a worthwhile target to be set'.
He posited that the figure would be 'enough, in theory, to eliminate the [social] housing list', given the current numbers on the list, which remains subject to change.
Cllr Seán Ó hÁrgáin affirmed that housing 'has to be delivered', especially in light of the 'promises at national level' with 'targets after targets after targets being missed'.
"It's the most important issue for our families, for our neighbours, for our friends," he added.
Kilkenny County Council has delivered 1,194 social houses over the last six years resulting in a reduction in the housing waiting list by 25% to 1,400 applications including transfers.
The overall capital programme will also be subject to regular review by Kilkenny County Council.
The local authority will continue to retrofit existing stock to improve energy efficiency of these units.