*Photograph: John Mangan
FURTHER APPLICATIONS for affordable housing schemes are to be made in areas where a need is evident, the Chief Executive of Clare County Council has said.
Approval has been granted by the Department of Housing for the inclusion of Ennis and Shannon in the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) which is an open funding system allowing local authorities to submit proposals to deliver homes in areas with the greatest need for affordable housing intervention.
Persons on moderate incomes are assisted to buy new homes at reduced prices under the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme. Homes included in the scheme are located in areas with the greatest housing need and where affordability is an issue.
Clare County Council’s greatest housing demand across the county is for one and two-bedroom properties. There are 2,176 applicant households who have a requirement for this property type. The Council’s assessment team are currently carrying out a review of the areas where the demand for this property type is greatest. This exercise was carried out recently in the Shannon area and was an opportunity to meet with households in person and update their details. This exercise is currently being carried out where applicant households have selected Feakle, Scariff and Whitegate as an area of preference.
Speaking at the June meeting of the Council, Cllr Gerry Flynn (IND) stated, “we now need to prioritise the next steps on the affordable schemes in Ennis and Shannon in the development of these schemes”. He believed the engagement process should include persons that have the opportunity to access mortgages.
Flynn who is Chair of the Social Development SPC said the Council cannot become idle on its progress during the summer, “The month of August is a baron spell in local authorities, everyone is on holidays, the ship is sailing but the captain is not on board in a lot of quarters,” he remarked.
Acting senior executive officer in the Council’s housing section, Padraig Mac Cormaic insisted progress was being made on both schemes. “We have to decide as a Council if it will be 100% of applicants accepted nationally or 30%. The regulations are for Co Clare, if we have in excess of 30% applicants we can limit it to Co Clare”. Individual mortgages cannot be discussed as part of the schemes, he added.
Chief Executive of the Council, Pat Dowling was buoyant of further positive outcomes on the housing front in Clare. “While we have received approval in context of Ennis and Shannon, it doesn’t preclude us from making a strong case where it is justified for an approved housing scheme in Clare, now the door is ajar for us we are going to try push it wide open”.
