Homebuyers locked out of purchasing apartments at new Limerick scheme

COUNCIL bosses must ensure that the option to allow first-time buyers in Limerick the chance to buy property is included in public housing developments in future.

That's the view of local councillor Sarah Kiely after it emerged apartments in a new block planned for the Castletroy area will not go on sale to the public.

Instead, 63 homes in Newtown Meadows will be allocated to people on the local authority's housing waiting list.

When making proposals to the government on social housing schemes, council has the option to stipulate some homes are set aside for first-time buyers on a moderate income at below the prevailing market rate.

Cluid, a voluntary housing group which delivers social housing on behalf of council, has confirmed it has acquired the apartments at Newtown Meadows.

“These apartments will be designed and built as age-friendly homes, and will be managed by Clann, Cluid’s age-friendly offering, for residents aged 55 and over,” a spokesperson confirmed.

Homes in some other developments across Castletroy will also not be sold to the public, with other agencies acquiring them.

The move has ignited concerns over first-time buyers being effectively placed in competition with bulk buyers for a limited number of homes.

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Business leaders are understood to be anxious about the low number of new houses available for first-time buyers, especially given the high number of jobs which are being created in the National Technology Park at Plassey.

It’s the role of the council’s executive to submit proposals for social housing projects to the Department of Housing. But it is ultimately government which green-lights the sale of homes to approved housing groups like Cluid.

Under governmental targets, the number of social housing targets is vastly higher than those to be built in the private sector.

Fine Gael councillor Sarah Kiely said authority bosses in future need to ensure there are affordable purchase homes included in programmes.

“The only thing we can do is impress upon the council that affordable purchase has to be included in all developments. The executive has a lot to answer for here. They put the proposal forward to the department, the department accepted it. There should have been an element of affordable purchase,” she said.

Cllr Kiely did point out that across Castletroy there are “cost rental” homes which are homes leased out on a long-term basis at below average market rate for tenants.