Athy and Kildare Town now also eligible to benefit from €150 million housing fund

Athy and Kildare Town are now eligible to benefit from a round of Government funding aimed at tackling vacancy and dereliction in town centres after they were named today as two of 11 additional towns now qualified to receive funding under Call 3 of the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF).

Under this round of URDF funding, local authorities are provided with finance to activate long term vacant and derelict properties in town centres for reuse or sale. This helps to address long-term vacancy, brings vibrancy into town centres and accelerates the delivery of housing.

Athy and Kildare Town join Celbridge, Leixlip, Maynooth, Naas and Newbridge on the list of towns in Kildare eligible to avail of this source of funding. To date, towns in Kildare have been allocated over €28.4 million in three rounds of URDF funding.

Today’s announcement was made as part of the Government’s latest Housing for All Quarterly Progress Report and publication of the Vacant Homes Action Plan Progress Report by the Department of Housing, Heritage and Local Government.

Minister for Housing, Heritage and Local Government, Darragh O’Brien TD said, “Regenerating and rejuvenating our town centres means that our urban areas become more attractive and vibrant places for people to live and work.

Already, through the availability of a dedicated €150 million revolving fund under the URDF, local authorities have identified over 900 properties in URDF towns throughout the country that can be brought back into practical use. I am delighted today to announce that Athy and Kildare Town are now eligible under the scheme and have a great opportunity to help reinvigorate their town centres while at the same time increasing the delivery of housing."

Towns with populations of greater than 10,000 or who support more than 2,500 jobs qualify to apply for funding under this round of the URDF. Following a recent review based on the 2022 census additional towns, including Athy and Kildare Town, are now deemed to meet the criteria making them eligible to apply for properties in these towns to be added to their approved acquisition programme under Call 3 of the URDF. They are also eligible to apply for URDF funding under any future calls for proposals to deliver projects that meet the aims and objectives of the fund.

The URDF is a flagship element of Project Ireland 2040 and was established to support more compact and sustainable development, through the regeneration and rejuvenation of Ireland’s cities and large towns. This initiative is also in support of objectives under the Town Centre First policy.

More information at www.gov.ie/URDF