Old Meath buildings get new lease of life through Village Renewal funding

Funding for the purchase of two Meath buildings for community use in Enfield and Nobber have been included in the latest funding announced by Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys, to tackle dereliction and vacancy in rural Ireland.

Both buildings are being purchased by Meath County Council after funding was approved under the 2023 Town and Village Renewal Scheme- Building Acquisition Measure.

The Council has agreed the purchase of the former parish hall in Enfield from Enfield Development Group with the money from the sale to go towards the refurbishment project. A further funding application has also been made under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme to complete the refurbishment.

Meanwhile funding was also granted towards the purchase of the former national school building in Nobber from the St Finian's Diocesan Fund. Meath County Council purchased the derelict building from the Diocese of Meath for a sum of €160,000.

The funding will cover the purchase of the building only and a further funding application will be made later this year towards the cost of refurbishing the building for use as a community space.

Under €4.5m funding announcement, a total of 24 old and derelict buildings were purchased which will be repurposed for 21st century community use.

Among the projects that will be revamped under the initiative include: former Garda stations, schools, post offices, parish halls, restaurants, public houses and vacant sites.

The announcement represents the second year of investment under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme’s Building Acquisition Measure, which is designed to bring vacant and derelict properties back into use town and village centres.

Announcing the details, Minister Humphreys (above) said: “This initiative is all about giving our local communities the tools to address the challenges of vacancy and dereliction in their towns and villages. Through this funding, we are taking those run-down buildings and turning them into facilities that will benefit communities for generations to come."