Saving Ireland's town centres must be budget priority, says Chambers Ireland

Chambers Ireland says the renewal of Ireland's towns and cities post-pandemic is essential. Alan Healy examines their pre-Budget submission

Chambers Ireland CEO Ian Talbot said the strategy should address vacancy and dereliction as a priority.

Chambers of Commerce around the country have called on the Government to publish and resource a National Urban Strategy for towns and cities across the country that will tackle vacancy and dereliction in order to create thriving town centres.

Representative body Chambers Ireland has published its recommendations to the Government ahead of Budget 2022, specifically calling for the expansion and reform of the Living City Initiative and incentives to enable brownfield development.

Alongside hospitality, the retail sector has suffered significantly in the pandemic. Many of the main streets in towns and cities around the country have seen the departure of high-profile retailers, both domestic and international.

The loss of tenants has the potential to exacerbate existing issues with vacant units, some of which have become derelict as a result. Chambers Ireland wants vacancies addressed as a priority to support urban recovery.

"This strategy should address vacancy and dereliction as a priority and improve both the affordability and liveability of our towns and cities," Chambers Ireland chief executive Ian Talbot said.

If we can successfully address these structural issues, we will be able to transform our urban areas and create thriving town centres."

Some of the measures Chambers Ireland are calling for to support town centres include expanding the Government's Living City Initiative to include long-term vacant commercial properties built post-1915, and reformed, to include acquisition costs of qualifying properties. 

LCI is a tax incentive scheme for Special Regeneration Areas in Cork, Dublin, Galway, Kilkenny, Limerick, and Waterford. It allows homeowners to claim tax relief on the money spent refurbishing or converting residential or commercial properties.

Chambers Ireland also wants the introduction of a targeted, time-bound, reduction of construction VAT for affordable high-density apartment new builds in cities.

In order to address building vacancies, the Government is urged to enact legislation to empower and resource local authorities to streamline the regulatory regime for change-of-use construction projects and above-the-shop conversions.

Chambers Ireland also wants the Government to renew the Derelict Sites Act 1990 to strengthen its elements to incentivise infill and brownfield construction.

Other initiatives include:

• Better resource local authorities to initiate street improvement and active travel investments;
• Introduce new legislation to expand and strengthen the powers of local authorities to compulsory purchase vacant sites;
• Modernise the land registry to facilitate the creation of a national vacant land registry;
• Implement a strengthened and centralised vacant land levy that acts as a charge on the land regardless of the ownership, with revenue being returned to the relevant local authority.

"As a priority, we must ensure that Budget 2022 supports urban recovery and tackles vacancy, both residential and commercial," said Mr Talbot.

"This approach will be imperative to ensure that sustainable cities and communities can thrive and local economies can prosper."