Builder backs out of Portlaoise modular home estate 'fed up waiting' claims Sinn Féin councillor

The first modular social housing estate for Laois which has seen yet another delay on construction, is a victim of the "stranglehold" on local authority planning application by the Department of Housing.

So says Portlaoise Municipal District Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley.

She claimed that the contractor who was approved to build the 54 homes at Radharc Darach on the Ballyfin Road in Portlaoise, at a cost of €15 million, "got fed up waiting".

She suggests also that the houses may no longer be of modular rapid build construction.

Cllr Dwane Stanley spoke at the January meeting after she got an update which confirmed that the contractor "disengaged from the process" before construction could begin.

Clúid housing agency expects shovels in the ground by the start of April, following demolition of the last few houses in Hepburn Court, expected to start in mid February.

Laois County Council's senior officer Georgina Ireland gave the update on foot of a motion tabled by Cllr Dwane Stanley.

The council's purchased lands at Hepburn Court were transferred to the Clúid Housing Association in August 2023, "following the resolution of a number of issues with the ESB regarding the 38KV substation on the site".

"Due to unforeseen circumstances, the contractor appointed for the scheme construction of 54 units, disengaged from the process prior to commencement. Accordingly as the tender period has expired, Cluid had to retender for scheme construction, the closing date of which is February 9.

"Clúid envisages appointment of a contractor and commencement on site by the end of Q1 (March) 2024. In the meantime, discussions have been ongoing with the ESB regarding cable diversion works on the site.

"Clúid is targeting mid February 2024 for both cable diversion and demolition works, which will take two weeks to complete," the council official said.

Cllr Dwane Stanley said she is completely disappointed.

"The department has to take the stranglehold off the council and allow them to do the work they're good at. It is 2018 since the council went about doing Compulsory Purchase orders at Hepburn Court.

"It's my understanding that the contractor who put in his tender got fed up waiting around, and we may not be getting modular housing. That's good in one way but it will take longer. 

"We have days for Kolbe and for Clonrooske too. This is an awful disappointment for people in the area who want this whole area regenerated.

"It is my understanding that the contractor who walked away will not be re-tendering," Cllr Dwane Stanley added.