Government announce expansion of Buy and Renew Scheme

Statement from Dept of Housing: more vacant and derelict properties to be turned into social homes

The government have today announced a significant expansion of the Buy and Renew Scheme, ensuring that more long term vacant and derelict properties across the country will be transformed into high quality social homes.

Under a new expanded approach, building contractors will, for the first time, be able to directly acquire and refurbish vacant and derelict properties, providing a new delivery channel for bringing disused buildings back into productive use.

Before works begin, contractors must enter into an agreement with a local authority or an Approved Housing Body (AHB) to purchase the homes for social housing when completed. Previously, the scheme was only open to local authorities and AHBs to directly deliver social housing and today’s change to the scheme will allow greater scope for restoring more properties.

To date, some 960 previously disused homes have been brought back into use through the scheme. With the enhancements now being introduced, the pace of renewal is set to accelerate, helping to reduce dereliction and increase the supply of social homes nationwide.

Importantly, the eligibility criteria for the scheme is also being updated so that properties must now be both vacant and derelict, ensuring that the scheme is targeted at the most challenging buildings - those less likely to be taken on by private owners through other supports such as the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant.

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne, TD, stated: "I’ve repeatedly said that allowing buildings to lie idle when homes are needed is not acceptable. Bringing long term derelict buildings back into productive use is one of the most effective ways of increasing supply as well as revitalising communities in our towns and cities.

“Expanding and building on the success of the of the Buy and Renew Scheme will allow us to tackle some of the most challenging properties, increase the supply of high quality social homes, and support local builders and tradespeople in the process.

“This approach will help ensure that no building with potential is left idle and that more families can access secure, sustainable homes. Additionally, by tackling the scourge of dereliction, this scheme helps to regenerate town centres."

Originally introduced in 2016, the Buy and Renew Scheme enables local authorities and AHBs to purchase or acquire long term vacant or derelict properties, refurbish them to required standards and make them available as social housing.

The expansion announced today maintains this core purpose while adding a contractor led pathway to increase the volume of homes delivered. It will also offer new work opportunities for local builders, tradespeople and small contractors as well as give certainty to contractors who are prepared to restore vacant and derelict properties with the assurance of a guaranteed end purchaser.

The forthcoming Derelict Property Tax, due to be introduced in 2027, is also expected to help generate a strong pipeline of suitable properties for renewal under this and other Government schemes.

As part of the government’s Housing Action Plan ‘Delivering Homes, Building Communities’, local authorities will continue to enhance their dereliction tackling efforts by expanding Derelict Sites Registers, improving enforcement and advancing compulsory acquisitions where owners fail to engage. A national aggregated Derelict Sites Register including mapping and standardised information will also be published annually.