Ennell Court housing is part of ‘building communities’ – Burke
Minister of State Peter Burke this morning turned the sod on the third phase of the redevelopment of Ennell Court in the heart of Mullingar.
The €8m project, which is part of the wider redevelopment of the Ennell Court estate, will deliver 31 new social housing units for the area. All the houses, which are scheduled to be completed by June next year, are designed to nearly Zero Energy Building (nZEB) standards and use the latest Air-to-Water heating technology. Each home includes a wet-room at ground floor level suitable for assisted showering.
Speaking at the turning of the sod ceremony, Deputy Burke said that as minister with direct responsibility for housing for older people and people with a disability, it was important for him that nine of the homes are specifically designed to suit the needs of older persons or persons with disabilities.
“We must future-proof our housing stock as the population ages and we need a different mix of housing to ensure inclusivity.
“Occasions such as this provide me with the opportunity to see the great work being carried out locally in relation to the important area of housing. All of these homes that will see today will cater for the different housing demands, in Mullingar and surrounding areas and will, without doubt, be a very welcome addition to the social housing stock.
“It should also be remembered that housing developments such as this one are about more than just building houses. They are about building thriving, sustainable communities. Developments like this one, when designed with the intended tenant in mind, and well located, will imbue a great sense of pride and confidence in communities.
“This is a place where people will want to live and work, watch their children grow, learn and play and all in a safe and secure environment.”
Minister Burke added that the government understands the urgency around the need for the construction of new social housing.
“There are challenges, but progress is being made. There is huge emphasis on housing at present right across government and we are spending a record €3.3 billion this year. This is evident in Westmeath, where we have a number of sites active now in the town, in Rochfortbridge, in Kinnegad, in Moate and in Athlone. After delays due to the pandemic, all sites are back up and running and progress is being made to deliver good quality housing in the places we need it most.”
Delivered under the Rebuilding Ireland initiative, the new scheme at Ennell Court is being built by Coolsivna, while the design team is being led by Westmeath County Council with assistance from GDCL Engineers, Tom McNamara & Partners QS, and JAK Mechanical & Electrical Engineers.
Minister Burke yesterday also officially opened four new dwellings at Bishopsgate Street, 12 new dwellings at Rahanine, Rochfortbridge, and 12 new houses at Bun Daire in Kinnegad. See next week's Westmeath Examiner for more coverage on those housing projects.