Ribbon to be cut in Laois on multi-million euro landmark Portlaoise housing project

Last minute preparartions are underway in Laois for the official ribbon-cutting on a landmark social housing project in Portlaoise.

Laois County Council welcomes the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne, to officially open the redevelopment of the former Presentation Sisters Convent and lands on Church Avenue. He is also due to launch other public and private developments in Stradbally, Portlaoise and Mountmellick on his visit to Laois this week.

The Sophia Housing development will see 52 homes created for people on the council's social housing waiting list. The nearly €30 million project has seen the complete refurbishment of the formerly derelict Presentation Convent.

Three new wings have also been built, while part of the former Sacred Heart school has also been redeveloped for apartments.  One of the newly built wings has been tenanted with further people moving in by the end of the month.

The development has also involved the restoration of the rose garden that was located to the rear of the Convent. This garden will be accessible to the public via the Triogue Way walk developed by the Council. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

Work is also due to be carried out on a small single-story building along Church Avenue, which would see it converted into a tourism office. It is not yet clear what will happen to the main part of the Sacred Heart school. At the outset, a community space was envisaged on the ground floor, with the second floor to become apartments.

Bretland, an Offaly construction company, is the main contractor of the project, which is being built on land that was put on the market in 2016 at a cost of at €2.5m, jointly by the Portlaoise Parish and the Presentation Sisters. The Convent, which was built in the 1820s, and Sacred Heart school were later sold separately for the housing project.

The Sacred Heart school was vacated in 2017 when it was amalgamated with other town schools to become part of the new Holy Family parish schools. 

Inflation caused the cost of the new housing project to spiral. The original bill was set at €10 million when it was announced in 2018. The sod was officially turned on the Housing for All project in April 2024. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

The development is located near another social housing project in Portlaoise on land owned by a Religious Order. Clúid Housing has already delivered 67 homes beside Portlaoise train station in partnership with the council.

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The area around Church Avenue has undergone significant change in recent years with the redevelopment of Fitzmaurice Place as low-carbon public space. The new Portlaoise Library is built on the intersection of Main St and Church Ave.

Apart from opening the Portlaoise building, Mr Browne will also officially launch 49 homes at Francis Dunne Court and six homes at Harbour Court, Mountmellick. Mr Browne will launch 49 homes at Francis Dunne Court and six homes at Harbour Court in Mountmellick. He will also open 83 homes at the new Rath Rua, Dublin Road in Portlaoise before concluding by opening 26 homes at Carraig Glas, Stradbally.