Tackling commercial vacancy rates remains a challenge in Kilkenny
Latest GeoDirectory Commercial Buildings Report shows unchanged Kilkenny figure
The commercial vacancy rate in Kilkenny was 12.7% in December 2024, unchanged compared to December 2023 according to the latest GeoDirectory Commercial Buildings Report.
The report also noted that the commercial vacancy rate in Callan stood at 18.1%, much higher than the national average of 14.5%.
Even though all four provinces experienced an increase in vacancy rates, four of the top six counties with the highest vacancy rates were in Connacht, continuing the trend of high commercial vacancy rates in the west of the country.
Sligo was the county with the highest commercial vacancy rate at 20.6%, followed closely by Donegal (20.1%) and Galway at 18.8%.
The lowest commercial vacancy rates were recorded in Meath (9.9%), Wexford (10.8%) and Kerry (12.3%).
Among the 35 towns in Leinster, 29 registered numbers above the national vacancy rate in the retail and wholesale sector.
The highest share was recorded in New Ross, on the Kilkenny-Wexford border, at 30.9%, followed by Newbridge, County Kildare, at 30.4%.
Greystones, County Wicklow, had the lowest occupancy rate in the retail and wholesale sector, with only 18.0% of all units allocated to this sector.
Commenting on the findings of the GeoDirectory Commercial Buildings Report, Dara Keogh, CEO of GeoDirectory, said, “The national vacancy rate for commercial properties increased again in Q4 2024, continuing the trend of recent years. At 14.5% it is now at its highest rate on record, with vacancy rates increasing in all four provinces.”