Stage payments for grants 'would speed up revamp of  Cork's derelict properties'

Cork County Council has also suggested an increase in the size of properties which are exempt from planning

Cork County Council also heard that the Croi Conaithe grant scheme had been a success in rural areas, but for some reason the take-up in towns and villages has been slow. Picture: Dan Linehan

Cork County Council is to ask the Government to change the guidelines around grant aid for refurbishing derelict properties to make it easier for homeowners in the county to access funding.

The Croi Conaithe scheme offers grants of up to €50,000 to first-time buyers and other owner-occupiers willing to refurbish derelict and vacant homes in towns and villages around the country. The fund, launched by the Government in June 2022, is intended to support home ownership and tackle vacancy in regional towns and villages by directly supporting the refurbishment of empty homes. 

Senior council planners have agreed with suggestions from councillors to streamline the Croi Conaithe grant process. Among the suggestions are to provide grants in stage payments rather than one lump sum and increase the size of properties which are exempt from planning.

On foot of a motion by Fine Gael councillor Liam Madden, the local authority is to write to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage seeking these changes to the Croi Conaithe grant scheme.

Stage payments

Mr Madden said in some cases it is taking 13 months for grant applicants to get approval, which is too long, and that stage payments would allow more homeowners to avail of the scheme.

Liam Ahearn, the council’s acting director of engineering services, acknowledged that the  current structure of the Croi Conaithe grant scheme and the process of approval and drawdown do not facilitate stage payments at present.

“This request can be raised with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. From our experience of managing the grant, if stage payments were considered, this would require fundamental changes to the structure and operation of the scheme and they could not be implemented within the current grant process,” he said.

Fine Gael councillor John Paul O’Shea said people are finding it difficult to get contractors as it is, and delays in accessing the grant is adding to this problem. He said stage payments would attract more contractors to do such work.

Planning permission

Mr Ahearn also said the refurbishment of a vacant property may involve the need for planning permission. He told councillors that an applicant under the Croi Conaithe scheme is required to submit evidence that planning permission has been attained prior to final grant approval.

If planning permission is required an owner can submit their grant application prior to receiving a planning decision so long as they have a planning application reference number.

Mr Ahearn said that in exceptional circumstances the local authority can consider issuing an “approval in principle” for a grant with full approval only given on confirmation of a grant of planning.

“However, Cork County Council request that applicants wait until they have full planning permission in place prior to applying for the grant to avoid situations where approval in principle might be given to grants where planning is subsequently refused,” he said.

But there is no facility under the scheme currently for an owner to apply for a Croi Conaithe grant and get approval or approval in principle for the grant prior to applying for planning permission.

Mr Madden and other councillors said this should be allowed to speed up the process. He also pointed out that, at present, derelict properties are exempt from planning if they are up to 40sq m. That figure, he said, should be increased.

Mr Madden said the grant scheme had been a success in rural areas, but for some reason the take-up in towns and villages has been slow.