Green TD Steven Matthews has welcomed the record increase in the number of Vacant Property Refurbishment Grants approved in Wicklow. The scheme provides new home-owners with grants of up to €70,000 to renovate vacant or derelict properties. Statistics published by the Department of Housing reveal that 96 applications under the scheme in Wicklow have been approved since 2022.
“I am delighted that the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grants scheme is supporting nearly a hundred households across Wicklow to transform vacant and derelict properties into homes. There has been significant progress in the roll-out of the scheme with the number of approved applications in Wicklow increasing again since the start of this year. These grants provided through Wicklow County Council are supporting more Wicklow residents than ever before to purchase and renovate their first home.
“Tackling vacancy and dereliction is key to addressing the housing crisis. This has always been my priority as TD for Wicklow, and I proposed a piece of legislation in the Oireachtas which would provide practical measures to support thousands of vacant and derelict properties to be returned to use. We are finally starting to see progress on this issue in Wicklow and for the first time we have a Vacant Homes Officer. I will continue to work with both Wicklow County Council and the Department of Housing to ensure that as many vacant properties as possible are returned to use in Wicklow.
“The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant scheme is having an incredibly positive impact on households and communities across Wicklow. I am calling for the scheme to be expanded further to support more first-time homeowners in our county. This initiative is a vital part of our action to provide homes, bring life and living back to our towns and villages, and to ensure local services remain viable”, Deputy Matthews concluded.
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