Refurbished vacant homes could become the most common form of new home in Kerry this year.
That’s according to research by the Irish Hardware Association, which compared the type of new home delivered in Kerry last year, and the number of applications for the vacant property refurbishment grant.
The figures show 623 new homes were built in Kerry last year, and in January this year, there had been 379 applications for the grant to renovate vacant properties.
If these applications were all approved and constructed by the end of 2024, there would be more empty homes rejuvenated than new apartments, housing estates, or single houses built in Kerry this year.
CEO of the Irish Hardware Association, Martin Markey, says one issue with the grant is that local authorities are under-resourced in processing them.
