Demand for social housing rises in outlying towns

LIST Over 1,100 seek council houses

There are currently more than 1,100 names on the social housing list in County Cavan, with almost 230 of those added over the past 12 months of lockdown.

The constantly evolving list outlines a need for 532 houses, as of earlier this month (April 8). It included 586 people on the 'transfer' list, who have either applied for social-housing in Cavan but live in another county, or are currently renting while availing of other schemes such as the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP).

The local authority received a total of 229 new applications in the 12 months since March 2020.

The national figure for households waiting over seven years on the housing list is 27.2%. But Cavan is significantly ahead of that curve - with just 5.9% of applicants remaining on the list for more than seven years.

The figures obtained by The Anglo-Celt also show another trend developing, where there is a greater demand than ever before for houses outside of Cavan Town, particularly by families requiring larger properties in areas such as Ballyjamesduff, Ballyconnell, Ballyhaise, Cootehill and Mullagh.

Cavan's population spiked by four per cent (+2,993 to 76,176) in the five years between 2011-16, with growth across most towns. Census 2016 results record a total of 33,585 housing units in Cavan.

The biggest growth per population experienced countywide, as of 2016, was in Shercock, where numbers living locally increased by more than half (53.1%). This was followed by Ballinagh (22.1%); Mullagh (18%); Virginia (16%) and Ballyhaise (14.6%).

While the demand for social housing is still greatest in Cavan Town, at 381 applications, there are others areas where demand has also by far out-stripped supply.

In the county town, the greatest need is for two-bed properties (134 applications), followed by one-bed houses (113), three-beds (109) and four-bed homes (25).

In the Bailieborough-Cootehill MD, the highest number of applications for social housing is in Bailieborough, where 118 units are requested (34 one-bed; 46 two bed; 28 three-bed; and 10 four-bed properties); followed by Cootehill 67 (20; 21; 26; 0); and Kingscourt 41 (14; 16; 11; 0).

In the Ballyjamesduff MD area, 90 houses are needed in Virginia (28; 27; 25; 10); 71 in Ballyjamesduff (15; 24; 32; 0); 66 in Ballinagh (16; 20; 20; 10); and 30 in Mullagh 30 (7; 4; 19; 0); and Arvagh 18 (9; 2; 7; 0).

Finally, in the Cavan-Belturbet MD, 72 houses are needed in Belturbet (35; 18; 19; 0); Ballyconnell 60 (19; 18; 19; 0); as well as three one-bed units sought in Blacklion.

Elsewhere, there are four applications for social housing in Bawnboy; two in Bunnoe; 10 in Butlersbridge; one in Corlough; five in Gowna; 11 in Killeshandra; 12 in Kilnaleck; 11 in Shercock; five in Stradone; and one application in Swanlinbar.

Despite the numbers, the council has made significant progress in the past year plus to increase the volume of social housing in the county through a variety of methods.

The Council’s Housing Construction Section is managing the Social Housing Capital Investment Programme, which currently consists of 14 housing schemes for 269 units, all at various stages of planning, design and construction. The most recent of these saw the council sign contracts with Sandar Construction for the completion of 15 new units at Cavan Road, Ballinagh (see page 15).

In addition, the council is supporting the provision of a further 92 units of accommodation with approved housing bodies all of which are at an advanced stage.

An application for approval has also been forwarded to the Department for the long-term lease of six units for a 20-year period in Ballyjamesduff.

The local authority awaits Department targets for 2021 for the Social Housing Acquisition Programme.

Vacant units

Separately, 72 vacant houses were returned to use in 2020 by Cavan County Council, 43 more than in 2019.

Preparation work is also underway in anticipation of the 2021 Voids Funding Programme.

In September 2020 the council was approved additional funding of €969,000 to refurbish 71 vacant houses under the July 2020 Stimulus Programme.

There was one house supplied under the Buy and Renew scheme between 2018 and the end of 2020, and two delivered under the Housing Agency Acquisitions scheme.