There are calls for Goaten Bridge to be included as an area of choice for social housing.
At this month’s meeting of Tipp-Cahir-Cashel MD, Cllrs Mairin McGrath and Andy Moloney made this call, having been told previously there isn’t a demand for Goaten Bridge to be included.
However, Cllr. McGrath made the point that demand is measured by uptake, and Goaten Brigde being excluded from social housing assessment forms means there is no way to determine if there is demand for housing there.
She says this is a Catch-22.
“People, when they’re filling out their application for social housing, are asked to pick three areas that they would like to be housed in. Goatenbridge, as it stands, hasn’t ever been included on that list. I was making the argument that, if people wanted to live in Goatenbridge, they don’t even have the option to express that want. While the council come back and says to me, “There’s no evidence there’s a housing need in the area,” but it’s a Catch-22; if you don’t give people the option to put it down on the form that they could live in Goatenbridge, then how can the council judge the housing demand?”
The Independent councillor says more reason to include the village is that new houses that the council could take over are coming on stream in Goatenbrigde, with Cllr. McGrath urging that if it’s an option, people will take it.
It will now be passed along to the social housing assessment officers for it to be included as an area of choice for social housing in Tipperary.
She says people are willing to move in the current climate of housing.
“One thing I said was: Build it, and they will come. And there are houses that are coming on stream in Goatenbrigde in the Cois Taire estate that are going back in for completion. If people want to live there, I think we’re at a stage of housing need and housing crisis where people will move and will happily take up residence in any village, especially in a lovely village like Goatenbridge with a small but vibrant community there.”
Cllr. Andy initially raised the issue telling Tipp FM :
“With new developments at the hurling field doe there, you have a pub there, you have lovely walks being developed by Knockmealdown Active, it is a lovely area and it could do with a boost of a half dozen houses there to prop up all the different facilities and services that are in the village.”
