Laois Council confirms huge funding for Portlaoise housing project

Laios County Council's Chief Executive has confirmed that Government is set to confirm a €26 million social housing project in the historic heart of Portlaoise.

Mr John Mulholland has told councillors that the Department of Housing has committed to the development of the lands and buildings formerly owned by the Presentation Sisters.

He told public representatives in County Hall that Departmental approval would allow the voluntary housing body Sophia Housing sign a deal with contractors to proceed with the project which as been in the pipeline since 2018.

Sophia Housing wants to convert the former Sacred Heart schools and lands in the centre of Portlaoise into 52 unit housing development in partnership with the Department the Council.

The former convent, which is a protected structure and will be converted into three one-bedroom apartments and six two-bedroom apartments. Three new apartment blocks will be built onsite which will incorporate 23 two-bedroom apartments and 10 one-bedroom apartments along with four two-bedroom townhouses.  

 “The impact of such a development on the local community will go beyond providing much needed housing. The project will create a new public park and garden in the heart of the site and access to a proposed new ‘blueway’ which will link Portlaoise town centre with a large town park,” the housing body states on its website.#

More than €10 m was approved for the project in 2017 for the property which has been left vacant since the Holy Family School opened. The old convent has been empty for three decades and is now derelict.