Up to 1,000 modular homes planned for Limerick
Mayor John Moran in talks over rapid-build housing to tackle crisis
MAYOR John Moran has opened talks with Government to bring up to 1,000 rapid-build modular homes to Limerick.
In a move which could put a real dent in local homelessness figures, State-owned land which has access to electricity, water, lights and roads has been identified to build on.
“This is new territory,” Mayor Moran said.
Modular homes, which can be assembled in as little as 16 weeks, would represent a “bridge” for people to get into permanent accommodation, said the mayor.
“So these could temporarily house people and then they could transition over to other houses or apartments as they are built around the area,” he explained.
Mayor Moran has held talks with Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien to deliver up to 1,000 modular homes across the city.
On top of this, private developers and suppliers have also expressed an interest in being involved.
“What I was pleased to see was the openness from Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien and his officials to investigate this, and he is already starting to identify where there are avenues to accelerate this through the process,” said Mayor Moran.
Council director general Dr Pat Daly has pledged his support to the scheme, with authority staff working to identify suitable landbanks.
He believes Limerick could be a “beacon” for the rest of the country when it comes to delivering homes in this way.
“It’s a new form of build. It’s a completely new way of doing your housing work. There are elements of this going on around the country. We can take it and scale it. And it’s a case with the mayor’s ability to get in and around government to shine light on areas we could develop, we could be a beacon for action in this space.”
In May, there were 410 people homeless and in emergency accommodation across Limerick, according to government figures.