A host of vacant buildings in an iconic Waterford city centre site are set to be repurposed as housing.

An agreement has been struck with Walsh and Sheehan Manor Hill Investments Ltd and Waterford City & County Council to deliver 71 residential dwelling units for elderly residents at St Joseph's House, Manor Hill. Funding was approved by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage for the proposed Repair and Lease Scheme.

Over €4.2 million has been approved to re-purpose the existing buildings to provide 50 apartment dwellings within the former convent building and 21 dwellings within the outbuilding clusters on the site.

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The funding is being provided under Housing for All – A New Housing Plan for Ireland. It is an objective of Housing for All to address vacancy and provide for efficient use of existing stock. Housing for All identifies the opportunity to re-imagine and transform our cities and towns, and to increase residential development in cities and town centres, with a consequent emphasis on amenities and quality of life. The Plan acknowledges that addressing vacancy and dereliction has to form a key part of this response.

The Repair and Lease Scheme has been pioneered in Waterford and is a significant driver in providing high quality affordable housing solutions and at the same time has significantly addressed and delivered the return to use of vacant buildings in Waterford.