Dungarvan & West Waterford Chamber CEO Jenny Beresford says Government grants aimed at converting vacant commercial buildings into housing are damaging local town centres.

Speaking to WLR, she said the initiative is “unintentionally hollowing out town centres and pushing businesses to industrial estates,” warning that “soon enough petrol stations will become our new town centres.”

Beresford stressed that she supports the idea of tackling vacancy but believes the scheme needs stronger safeguards.

She argued that the grants should only apply to upper floors, keeping ground floors open for commercial or mixed-use development. This approach, she said, would protect business activity, jobs, and street-level vibrancy.

The Dungarvan Chamber CEO fears the current system could change the face of towns like Dungarvan, saying it is not a big issue there yet and added that; “In a few years, we’ll look at our town centres and ask what happened to them,” she said, warning that more businesses could be pushed out.

Beresford and the Chamber are calling for a more balanced policy that supports both housing and enterprise, ensuring that revitalising vacant properties doesn’t come at the cost of hollowing out town centres.

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