Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 October 2024
428. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he can provide details on the progress of Kildare County Council's serviced sites scheme, particularly the upcoming sale of serviced sites in Clogherinkoe; what measures are in place to ensure affordability for local buyers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42576/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Ready to Build Schemes, funded by the Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund, was launched in September 2022. Under the Scheme, local authorities will make serviced sites in towns and villages available to potential individual purchasers to build their homes. These sites will be available at a discount on the market value of the site for the purposes of building a property for occupation as the principal private residence of the purchaser. The level of discount to the individual will depend on the level of servicing cost incurred by the local authority before the sale of the site but will not exceed €30,000. The amount of such discount will be reflected in the sale price of the site.
Under the scheme, it is intended that local authorities will develop existing sites in their control or purchase sites in towns and villages and make them available for development by providing services and access to the sites concerned. It is a matter for the local authority to identify a suitable site/s that is either already in their ownership or that can be acquired and that meets the conditions of the scheme.
To date, 17 sites have been made available for sale, 8 in Laois, 5 in Wicklow, and 4 in Tipperary. A further 7 sites are to be made available for sale by Kildare County Council under the scheme in the coming weeks. The level of discount offered by Kildare for the sites is dependent on the costs to the Council to service the sites to bring them to market.
A further 154 sites have been identified by various local authorities for potential sale under the scheme. Theses are at various stages of consideration by the relevant local authorities. My Department is working with those local authorities to progress the sites.
The conditions of the Ready to Build Scheme do not preclude prospective applicants from availing of other Government initiatives such as the Help to Buy Scheme or Local Authority Purchase and Renovation Loan.
