A €15 million scheme to improve the energy efficiency of 350 houses on the Cranmore Estate in Sligo Town is continuing to make great strides forward.

Sligo County Council and the Cranmore Regeneration Project are collaborating on the project, which is on track to reach completion by 2024.

Properties on the Cranmore Estate were constructed almost 50 years ago and do not meet current energy efficiency standards, with residents having to burn large amounts of unsustainable solid fuels like coal and wood to stay warm and heat water.

The Council secured State funding under a Regeneration Scheme in 2016 and started consultations with residents in 2017 before beginning the project in January 2020.

The residents, who agreed to take part, were moved by Sligo County Council to alternative accommodation for the duration of the works, which included the installation of state-of-the-art air-to-water heat pumps, as well as the removal of chimneys to ensure airtightness and maximise heat retention.

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Almost €12m will have been spent once the first two phases of the scheme are completed in 2023.

Commenting on the scheme and a public awareness campaign called 'Our Sligo Home', Míċeál McGinty, Senior Executive Architect on the Cranmore Regeneration Project for Sligo County Council, said: "The driver of this scheme is the betterment of people's lives and to make their environment a healthier place to enjoy. This is a life-changing and exciting scheme for householders. People are definitely now enjoying living smarter, greener, and more sustainably. They have new levels of comfort, and an added bonus is they are no longer dragging bags of coal into their houses. The joy of cleaner living is also evident in the air. The idea of 'Our Sligo Home' is a place for all with sustainable housing and community-centred public buildings."

The scheme is part of Sligo County Council's wider plan to develop Sligo as a world-class place to live; invest and visit with better homes and enhanced public spaces and buildings.

Sligo County Council Cathaoirleach Councillor Paul Taylor commented: "The Retro-fitting scheme is the latest in a series of excellent initiatives delivered under the umbrella of Sligo County Council's regeneration programme, initiatives which were planned and delivered in conjunction with the community. I would like to commend the Lead Consultant - Rhatigan Architects, and the main Contractors, Kilcawley Construction - for their professionalism and expertise, which have been invaluable over the course of the project. This exemplary spirit of partnership between various agencies and the local community has delivered so much in a wide range of areas."