GREEN Party councillor for Limerick City East Seán Hartigan this week welcomed cost rental housing in Castletroy.
Cairn Homes’ development of 222 units between Chawkes and the Castletroy Urban Greeway — The Mills — will see 10 per cent of these houses (22) available as social houses to people on the Council waiting list.
A further 56 units will be managed by a housing association, again for people on the council waiting list, and eight units in the estate will be available to older people who wish to downsize making their houses available to families. The remaining 136 units will be cost rental.
Green Party councillor Seán Hartigan says that this model introduced by his party has proven to be a very effective way of providing housing in many European countries.
“In cost rental the rent is used to cover the cost of constructing the accommodation over the life of a long-term building loan, cost rental homes have to have a rent that is at least 25 per cent lower than the typical market rent in an area. Cost rental homes built in Ireland to date have rents up to 30-40 per cent lower than market prices, making this type of residential accommodation affordable,” Cllr Hartigan explained.
“The Austrian’s have tested this type of housing for 100 years and it now provides decent, secure and affordable accommodation to more than 60 per cent of Viennese residents,” he added.
The Castletroy development, Cllr Hartigan continues, will have the highest proportion of the housing on the site 61 per cent – occupied by working families who choose to rent.
“It will be available to people working in places like the National Technology Park, Annacotty Business Park, Northern Trust, UL and many other areas”.
The Limerick Post asked Cllr Hartigan about criticism from other elected representatives that building cost rental was denying people an opportunity to purchase their own homes.
“People who wish to buy their own homes in Castletroy need to be afforded an opportunity to do so. The Newtown Meadows estate at the opposite end of Castletroy Urban Greenway will have 66 per cent of homes available for private purchase. There is also planning for private homes granted adjacent to the Newtown Manor estate on the Kilmurry Road and at Bru na Grudan. There is planning granted for close to 1,000 homes in the Castletroy area at the moment, the majority of these are available for private purchase. These houses will qualify for the hugely attractive and recently increased Help To Buy Scheme of up to €30,000.
“As a member of the Home and Social Strategic Policy Committee, I am working with the council, national government and developers to ensure that quality housing is available in Limerick City for those who wish to rent from the council or privately and for these wanting to purchase their own homes. I think we are making significant progress. One thing I would like to see more of is affordable homes. Twenty five affordable units will be available in Bru na Grudan but we need to increase this number considerably,” he concluded.
