Ireland Expands Housing Renovation Scheme
Ireland's Department of Housing is expanding its "Buy and Renew" scheme to include building contractors, not just local authorities and housing bodies. Contractors can now directly acquire and refurbish vacant or derelict properties for social housing. The change is expected to accelerate urban renewal and put more properties back into productive use through public-private partnerships.
- The "Buy and Renew" scheme was first established in 2016 to empower local authorities and approved housing bodies to acquire and renovate vacant and derelict properties for social housing. - To date, the scheme has successfully brought approximately 960 previously abandoned homes back into use across Ireland. - The 2022 census recorded 163,433 vacant homes in Ireland, providing a significant number of potential properties for this and other housing initiatives. - This expansion is part of the broader "Housing for All" plan, the government's strategy to increase housing supply, which aims to deliver 300,000 new homes by 2030. - The government's new "Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025-2030" plan includes a target to bring an additional 1,000 homes back from dereliction through the combined Buy and Renew and Repair and Lease schemes. - Performance of the Buy and Renew scheme peaked in 2018 with 268 units brought back into use, but this number fell to 57 units in 2023. - A new Derelict Property Tax is expected to be introduced in 2027 to further encourage property owners to sell or refurbish their derelict buildings, which is anticipated to create a pipeline of properties for the Buy and Renew scheme. - According to the Minister for Housing, James Browne, the inclusion of building contractors is intended to address the most challenging properties and accelerate the supply of social homes while supporting local tradespeople.
