Byrne & Byrne Construction, in partnership with Clúid Housing and Carlow County Council, has completed its latest development of 26 new social homes.

The £3.8 million project took 13 months to complete and saw Sleaty Park View officially open on Monday 18 February.

The site is a mixture of two and three-bed houses, with a very high spec finish, energy efficient heating and an A-rated BER. Located right beside the town park, it is within a five-minute walk of Carlow town centre.

Nick Byrne of Byrne & Byrne Construction Ltd said that his company was delighted to have partnered with Clúid on this development: "This was a Developer Design and Build project with Stage Payments. This innovative approach worked very well for us in the progression and completion of the project. Overall, this has been an extremely positive partnership for us with Clúid in Carlow and we look forward to further developing this valued partnership with them. We hope that all the families who are taking up residence in this development will enjoy many wonderful years here."

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The families who have moved to the affordable housing development had waited five years on the social housing list, while 1320 others remain.

Speaking ahead of the launch, Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government Eoghan Murphy said: "The provision of high-quality housing, across all tenures, is one of the key objectives of Rebuilding Ireland: An Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness. The delivery of these much needed homes in Carlow Town is a tangible example of the importance of partnerships between Approved Housing Bodies, such as Clúid Housing, the local authority, in this case Carlow County Council, and a developer in getting homes built; furthermore, the delivery of these homes demonstrates this Government's commitment to that objective."

Clúid funded the scheme with a government loan of 30% of the total price, which will be repaid using rent from tenants and an availability payment from the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government.

New Business Director at Clúid, Fiona Cormican, said: "In addition to Sleaty Park View, Clúid has 180 properties in Co. Carlow. We are continually looking for new opportunities to develop further in the county and beyond. We want to partner with developers and local authorities to deliver 2,500 units nationwide over three years. To achieve these numbers requires a coordinated project-led approach to each housing development. All stakeholders, including the developers, financiers, planners and utility providers, need to communicate on each project and each project needs leadership to bring it through the processes and people that make up the system."

Kathleen Holohan, Chief Executive of Carlow County Council wished the tenants all the best in their new homes.

She added: "This is an excellent example of the collaborative approach between Carlow County Council, Clúid Housing, and the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government in delivering much-needed social housing in Carlow Town. This high-quality development provides comfortable and energy-efficient homes for families on the council’s housing list."

(JG)