'Disappointing' social housing project delay and a lack of one-beds: the housing situation in Carlow
Carlow Town Hall
A social housing development at Tanner Hall on Athy Road in Carlow town that was initially expected to be completed this year has been delayed by another application to extend the duration of the planning permission.
The news of another delay was “disappointing, but at this stage not surprising,” said cllr Adrienne Wallace at a recent municipal district meeting at Carlow Town Hall.
The developer, South-Eastern Builders Ltd, was granted permission for 49 new dwellings â eight apartments, 26 two-bedroom houses and 15 three-bedroom houses â in June 2021. Carlow Co Council later received confirmation from the Department of Housing that it would provide funding for the houses to be used for social and affordable homes.
Three terraced homes have been completed since, with eight apartments and ten houses under construction.
Niall Barrett, senior executive engineer with the council’s housing section, told councillors that the development would be delivered on a phased basis, with the first 25 expected to be delivered in 2027 or 2028.
A total of 16 houses at Cois Dara will be allocated to families by the end of the year, in addition to two homes at Friar’s Gate, two at Haymarket and another on JKL Avenue. Clúid is also expected to deliver 26 homes at Montgomery Street by the end of the year, Mr Barrett told Carlow councillors.
“I appreciate that the figures might not look great on paper,” said housing officer Tadhg Madden, “but we have a very strong pipeline coming.”
“I suppose it’s positive in a sense that there’s a few houses being built and allocated,” said cllr John Cassin, before he pointed out that there are people who have been on the housing list looking for a one-bed property since 2011. “We don’t need developers to come in with three and four beds; we need one and two beds – we’re having those conversations.”
He said there would be one scheme finished next March with 14 one-bed houses.
“We are reliant on the private sector,” acknowledged Mr Madden. “We are limited because we don’t own any land really in Carlow town.”
Mr Barrett said the council will soon start six months of investigative works at Court Place and at the Barrow Track sites, with the hope that these tracts of land will provide 200 homes by 2030. Court Place will likely be the site of between 50 and 60 age-friendly units.
“It’s going in the right direction,” said cllr Andrea Dalton.
