22 homes rejected for new Department scheme
Eoghan Dalton Reports
A new estate comprised of twenty-two high quality homes has been given short shrift by local politicians, who instead have opted for an alternative housing project which it has emerged may be several years away from even starting.
The rapid build development, proposed for Ballynaneashagh off the Cork Road, would have secured the homes for families in urgent need of housing. However, they were rejected by Councillors who proposed pursuing a development known as affordable housing, aimed at people on higher earnings – but for which no funding is in existence.
The Council’s housing director Ivan Grimes told The Munster Express that there is no information available on how an affordable housing scheme may be funded and eventually delivered. The Ballynaneashagh scheme was proposed at last week’s Metropolitan District meeting, October 21st, by Waterford City and County Council’s housing office and has received approval from the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government.
An affordable housing development consisting of twenty-eight homes at Gracedieu, Carrickphierish has been approved to receive eighty nine per cent of its €486,000 costings under the Serviced Sites Fund from the Department of Housing. Cllr John Cummins (FG) pointed to this when making his case in the Chamber that an affordable scheme should be pursued for Ballynaneashagh instead.
“That is the mechanism to provide cost rental and affordable housing in Ireland and other Councils are proceeding with theirs and we’re not.” he said. “Now is the time to do it [change the project to an affordable one], not at some imaginary point in the future when these houses are going to be built.”But the funding relates only to the costs of providing internal roads, lighting and other utilities.
Cold Water Poured on Housing Plans