Four former Offaly pubs to be converted into 17 new homes

FOUR former pubs in Offaly are to be converted into 17 residential units under a new Government scheme.

Nationwide the conversion is planned for over 1,100 vacant commercial premises that have the potential for over 2,700 homes 

The initiative tackles vacancy, increases housing supply and renews urban areas

The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, has published figures which show that local authorities received 1,165 notifications to convert vacant commercial premises into new homes between 2018-2023.

These notifications have the potential to result in 2,716 new homes across the country.

In Tipperary five vacant pubs are to be converted into 13 new residential units while single vacant pubs in both Laois and Westmeath will create one new residential unit in each county.

Planning exemptions introduced in 2018, removed the requirement for planning permission for the conversion of certain types of vacant commercial property into residential units. In 2022, the exemption was extended to allow vacant pubs to be converted into homes. In 2022 and 2023, 92 notifications relating to pubs were received by local authorities with the intention to create 295 new homes.

Overall, in 2023, local authorities received 267 notifications with the potential to provide 650 new homes (39 related to pubs which will create 136 homes). 

Minister O’Brien said: “Converting empty buildings into forever homes is a key component of Housing for All. These figures show that policies which have eased the planning burden for those who wish to convert unoccupied commercial premises, including pubs, into residential use are helping to increase supply, tackle vacancy and renew urban areas. 

"I’ve visited counties and got to see first-hand the impact of turning what was once a vacant pub into five or six new apartments. It makes sense to provide the exemptions and to make it easier for people to convert commercial buildings into high-quality homes.’’

The Minister of State for Planning and Local Government, Alan Dillion added: “This is one of a suite of measures which has proved effective in encouraging property owners to convert vacant commercial buildings to residential use such as ‘above shop’ living. Bringing vacant and derelict properties back into reuse can be a catalyst for regeneration and revitalisation, bringing vibrancy back to communities.”

Other Government initiatives to tackle vacancy, include increased resources for local authorities’ Vacant Homes Offices, the Repair and Lease Scheme which provides property owners with a loan to restore a property in return for guaranteed rent by leasing the property out for social housing, and the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant which offers grants of up to €70,000 to turn a vacant property into a permanent home.

Visit www.gov.ie/vacancy to see all supports available to bring vacant properties back into use.