Athlone to be included in expanded Living City Initiative

Minister of State, and Longford/Westmeath TD Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran has welcomed the extension of the Living City Initiative to Athlone, following today’s Budget 2025 statement. The scheme, which supports the regeneration of older housing and commercial stock, will now include Athlone as part of its expanded scope under the National Planning Framework.

The scheme, which had been in existence, in cities, has now been extended to the five regional growth centres.

In addition, the existing scheme has been significantly extended.

Key enhancements to the scheme include:

· Expanded eligibility: The qualifying age for residential properties—both owner-occupied and rented—will increase from pre-1915 to pre-1975 builds.

· New relief category: A dedicated tax relief will be introduced for the conversion of commercial properties into residential use, including ‘over the shop’ premises. No age restriction will apply to these conversions.

· Enterprise support: Where works are undertaken by businesses, the maximum relief available will rise from €200,000 to €300,000, in line with EU State Aid De Minimis thresholds.

· Greater flexibility: Claimants will benefit from simplified and more flexible procedures for accessing relief.

Minister Moran commented: “The extension of the Living City Initiative to Athlone marks a significant step in our commitment to revitalising regional centres and breathing new life into our urban centres. By broadening eligibility and introducing new reliefs, we are empowering homeowners, businesses, and communities to invest in sustainable regeneration.

“This is about more than bricks and mortar — it’s about restoring vibrancy, supporting housing supply, and making our towns places where people want to live, work, and raise families. I look forward to working with local authorities to ensure the scheme is implemented effectively and delivers real impact on the ground.

“The extension of the scheme to the regional centres under the National Planning Framework—including Athlone—is a very welcome development. The scheme will now run until 31 December 2030, with further details to be outlined in Finance Bill 2025.”

Implementation will begin in the coming period, with local authorities assisting in the designation and mapping of Special Regeneration Areas across the five regional centres, including Athlone.