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Volume VI, Issue I
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A €9.3m housing boost for city
• Sixty-four new ‘Regen’ homes • 350 energy upgrades planned By Shane Donnelly THERE’S a New Year bonus in the pipeline for 64 southside Limerick residents, thanks to the latest multimillion euro Regeneration housing project in the city. Two new housing initiatives costing a total of €9.3m will deliver new homes to residents in Southill and Vizes Court, off Wolfe Tone Street. This second phase of the Limerick Regeneration building project includes 64 new houses, 35 of which are located in Colivet Court in Southill and cost €6m. And the 29 apartments in Vizes Court cost €3.3m, according to Limerick Regeneration Senior Executive,
Jason Murphy. Application forms were sent out to potential residents at the end of November, and the successful candidates will be contacted in late January 2014. “It’s expected that people will start moving into their homes in mid- to late February,” Mr Murphy said. Southill Residents Forum Worker Mary Higgins said local people felt very positive about the new houses. “I have people constantly asking me when they will be ready to look at, and when people will be able to move in,” Ms Higgins added. While Southill parish priest, Fr Pat Hogan said he was impressed with the design of the houses, he believed that such a development should have
Friday, December 13, 2013
Moyross triplets welcome Santa
Triplets Simone, Katelyn and Morgan Redden pictured with Santa at the Moyross Community Centre Christmas Party. Picture: Brian Gavin / Press 22 See COMMUNITY FOCUS: Page 21
happened a long time ago. “I’d say the State would have saved an awful lot of money if they’d built more units like them, rather than buying people out of other places,” Fr Hogan added. “The most crucial element of these is that they are managed properly,” he added. In the 35 Southill dwellings, there will be 14 one-bedroom houses and 21 two-bedroom homes and only people over 50 are eligible to apply for these houses, Mr Murphy said. This is because Limerick City Council’s policy of providing accommodation for older people must apply only to the tenants of the second Regeneration housing scheme, Mr Murphy added.
He stressed that children of parents over 50 who may wish to live with them in the new houses will not be allowed to do so. In Vizes Court, the 29 new apartments will include 23 one-bedroom and six two-bedroom apartments. Mr Murphy said that 50 houses across the city will have energy upgrades carried out this year to ensure they achieve a Grade B in the Building Energy Rating (BER) certificate scheme. And there are plans to provide 300 more houses with energy upgrades next year. Southill recently came second, behind Limerick City, in the Limerick Tidy Towns while also receiving €1,500 in prize money in the Going for Gold community competition.
Related More Regen jobs for local workers Page 11 ‘Regeneration not all about money’ Page 24 UL empowering local communities Page 15
NO EBB IN YOUTH EXODUS FROM LIMERICK CITY ‘This is a social disaster waiting to happen’: Page 4