Sir, - At a time when housing demand has never been greater and property values are rising at an unprecedented rate, vacant space over many high street shops in the heart of our cities and towns is commonplace. The potential that this empty space offers for apartment use has hardly been mentioned in the current debate on high rise/high density solutions to the housing crisis. Living over the business can provide good value accommodation and relieve the pressure on greenfield sites, whilst reducing the need for transport into the central area, as can be seen in Cork city, where a significant number of living over the shop schemes are working quite successfully.
The new urban renewal scheme is due to come into operation on 1st August 1998. The Institute urges the Government to recognise this valuable resource, and to make appropriate incentives available to persuade property owners in our cities and towns to look again at their upper floors. - Yours, etc., Kieran Kennedy, Hon. Secretary, The Royal Town Planning Institute,
Wilton Place, Dublin 2.