Work on €4.5m community hub to begin within weeks

CONSTRUCTION on the much-anticipated €4.5m Tullow Road Multi-functional Community Hub is expected to begin within weeks.

Last week, Carlow County Council announced the signing of contracts with building contractors Duggan Lynch Ltd for delivery of the Tullow Road Multi-functional Community Hub, describing this significant partnership as “marking an important milestone in delivering this project for the community of Tullow Road”.

The project is being grant funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development in the sum of €4,135,178 under the Community Centres Investment Fund 2023. The overall cost of the project is €4,594,643, with Carlow County Council meeting the difference, while consultants for the project are Ailtirí Architects.

Construction is set to begin in the coming weeks, with the community hub expected to be completed in 2026. The building will be a shared multi-functional resource with universal access, which will facilitate new and existing supports and services catering for physical, social and community needs.

The facility will incorporate various rooms, including a community hall, kitchen, coffee dock, two multi-functional classrooms/meeting/training rooms, two consulting rooms, a maker space, lobby meeting space, toilets, reception, office accommodation, circulation space, plant room, ICT room, storage rooms and all necessary plant and equipment for accessibility and access, including a lift.

The project will include the provision of a new access point from the distributor road via a roundabout within the housing developments of the Tullow Road, internal access road, parking, drainage, fencing, landscaping, external play/outdoor space and all necessary communication infrastructure.

The building is designed to be carbon neutral and it will be enhanced by the provision of active travel and green infrastructure.

“I am very pleased to see this project moving forward. It is the realisation of a project that we have been working on for years and this facility will provide much-needed social infrastructure for the community,” said cllr Fergal Browne, cathaoirleach of Carlow County Council.

Mayor of the Municipal District of Carlow cllr Fintan Phelan also warmly welcomed the contract signing. “This new-build facility on the Tullow Road is a gamechanger and will benefit the communities for years to come.” 

Chief executive of Carlow County Council Coilín O’Reilly stated: “We look forward to working with Duggan Lynch Building Contractors to deliver this project. Carlow County Council recognised the need for this project in the Tullow Road and has been working with the community and key stakeholders for years to deliver on this ambition.

“I wish to thank the elected members for their support throughout the years and the staff of the community section for their work in bringing this development to fruition,” said Mr O’Reilly.