Kerry’s first affordable houses offering expected early next year

By Alastair Tibbs, The Kerryman

The Kerry public is expected to be offered the county’s first affordable housing early next year as the council ramps up talks with central agencies.

Affordable housing is proposed to be developed in Tralee and Killarney, with units potentially on the market by March 2026.

While the council plans to invite developers to express their interest on December 12, they are still ironing out the details of the proposal in collaboration with the Local Development Authority and the Housing Department.

The government’s affordable housing scheme allows local authorities to put newly built homes on the market at a reduced price for first time buyers and other eligible prospective homeowners.

The scheme allows local authorities to own an equity share in the home equal to the difference between its open market value and the reduced price paid by the purchaser.

While the council said it was very difficult to say how many units could be built, it estimates that 10 to 20 units could be up for sale in March, based on the results of other local authorities.

Each affordable housing development needs a mix of normal residential homes sold at full price, alongside discounted affordable housing.

The council is also looking at reducing the minimum population size required for a settlement to qualify for affordable housing, which currently stands at 10,000 people. This currently constrains the scheme in Kerry to Tralee and Killarney, leaving smaller settlements out of the equation.

The council said it is “optimistic” that it could amend these requirements and look at utilising the scheme in less populated areas of the county.