Timber cabins welcomed on Laois County Council serviced sites

Timber cabins and other rapid build modular homes could be built on serviced sites sold by Laois County Council, if they pass local planning approval.

The council is looking for land to ramp up its offerings of serviced small individual house sites for hopeful homeowners to build their own house.

The type of house can include timber cabins, according to the Director of Services for Planning and Housing, Angela McEvoy.

"Modular houses like others would have to go through the planning procedure but they can be processed on serviced sites and on sites in general," she said.

They want landowners to make them an offer.

"We are open to expressions of interest to sell us land across the county. Obviously we would prefer zoned and serviced land. That said we will be looking at a variation, where land is used up. We are seeing a lot more building in towns and villages," the director said.

She was responding to Cllr John King who asked if modular homes can be built on the council's serviced sites "because they come in at less expense".

Cllr James Kelly also asked if the council has surveyed potential lands on the edges of towns and villages, and asked if there is a maximum number of serviced sites the council can buy.

"A lot of old cottages are on an acre, you could get four sites on that. It's ok people buying them but we don't want them sitting on them," he said.

Cllr Ben Brennan said that there is land in Crettyard that could be used.

"We need to keep the community going. In Doonane you have two serviced sites and I've got about ten calls from people in the parish. Two contractors there are willing to put in serviced sites. We definitely have people willing to build houses and we should let them build what they want regardless," he said.

Cllor Conor Bergin said that there is much public interest in the nine sites coming up in Castletown village and said he would like to see more sites made available.

The council has completed eight sites in Durrow and Ballyroan. Six more are in progress in Doonane and Durrow, nine await rezoning and site design in Castletown and two are proposed in Clonaslee. 

Similar to the Croi Cónaithe €50,000 vacant homes grant, priority is given to first time and Fresh Start buyers and people who want to relocate from more isolated rural homes. Buyers must be planning to live in the houses themselves.

The sites are sold at a discounted market value of the site. The level of discount depends on the level of servicing cost incurred by the local authority, with discounts up to a maximum of €30,000. The Government is funding the schemes.