The Mayor of Clare Councillor Christy Curtin, acting on behalf of Clare County Council, has been presented with the keys to 17 local authority owned homes at Connaught Road, Scarriff, following the completion of an €850,000 remedial works project.

The project contract, which was awarded to Galway construction company Atlantic Developments Limited in early October 2010, involved upgrade works to the 17 tenanted properties in the estate, including insulation, roofing, windows and doors replacement.

New heating systems, including high efficiency oil boilers supplemented with solid fuel stoves, have been upgraded to achieve a C1 Building Energy Rating (BER). Solar panels also have been provided on the roofs of four bungalows to achieve a high energy rating.

Other works include general environmental drainage and a new watermain, boundary treatment to all 31 houses, and improvement works to roads, public lighting and footpaths in the estate.

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The project funding of €850,000 was provided by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

Welcoming the completion of the project Mayor Curtin said: “The improvement to the energy efficiency of these houses in Scariff will make a great difference to the comfort factor for the occupants. I would like to acknowledge the excellent work carried out by the contractor and design team who successfully completed the project on time and within budget.”

Councillor Patricia McCarthy, Chair of Clare County Council’s Housing Strategic Policy Committee thanked residents for their “forbearance and co-operation while their homes were being upgraded”.

“Many residents voluntarily relocated for the duration of the works while those who remained in residence co-operated fully with the contractor and tolerated a level of inconvenience. They can now look forward to enjoying an improved quality of life in their upgraded homes”, Councillor McCarthy added.

The 31 houses at Connaught Road were originally constructed during the 1970’s in accordance with building standards applying at the time. The remedial works relate to 17 tenanted houses, the remainder having been purchased

The Connaught Road project team features Atlantic Developments, Lawlor & Partners (Quantity Surveyors), Malachy Walsh & Partners (Mechanical and Electrical), and the Clare County Count Council technical staff led by Siobhan McNulty.

(GK/KMcA)