An appeal was made for Wexford County Council to buy large buildings in the New Ross district like the Augustinian Church and old Good Counsel College and use them for affordable accommodation units.

Speaking at the February New Ross Municipal District meeting, Cllr John Fleming, the current chairperson of the local authority, made the suggestion after housing officer Martina Donoghue said the council has undertaken an online survey aimed at people above the social housing threshold in Co Wexford.

“Under the building and housing programme we could look at old stock like the Augustinian site or the CBS. If we can purchase these we could also look at affordable housing. Divide them up and sell them off as affordable housing because we have a huge scarcity of affordable properties. We should have these old properties not just for social, but also for affordable.”

Speaking on the topic of the controversial choice based letting system, Cllr Michael Sheehan asked if people could be notified if they are successful or not.

Afterwards Ms Donoghue gave an update about housing projects for New Ross, saying the developer who was planning to build numerous housing units at Haughton Place has pulled out. Ms Donoghue said another developer may decide to build units there. Cllr Sheehan asked if the local authority could buy the site, to which Ms Donoghue said she will explore that possibility.

Cathaoirleach, Cllr Anthony Connick said the company which had the Haughton Place site removed gates and part of a wall and erected fencing. “It was a very old wall. If I did anything with it I’d be made put everything back because there is litter in there now.” When asked about plans for a housing estate at Hewittsland, Ms Donoghue said the council has approval for that site, adding ‘there is no way we will deliver that site this year’.

“So there will be no houses delivered for the remainder of this year, which is the lowest in all of the districts,” said Cllr Sheehan.

“We’re going backwards.”

Ms Donoghue said: “I don’t know why it hasn’t moved ahead. They have had planning for a while. I will contact them.” Cllr Sheehan then asked for a breakdown of the costs for a site in the Bullawn, suggesting that a small fortune has already been spent by Wexford County Council with no property built to date.

Via Independent https://www.independent.ie/regionals/wexford/new-ross-news/huge-scarcity-of-affordable-housing-in-co-wexford-town/a1379952642.html