Ambitious council house target for big part of Laois but many homes still not approved

The number of council homes in the biggest electoral area in Laois could be on track to rise by more than 20 percent but many of these houses are still at the planning stage a recent report shoes.

The 2022 Schedule of District Works for the Borris-in-Ossory to Mountmellick Municipal District says that there are more than 700 houses in the area which takes Rathdowney, Mountrath, Durrrow, Clonaslee and other towns and villages.

It says that under the Government's Housing for All plan a 'significant portion' of the 534 new council homes in Laois will go to people who want social housing in the large district which borders Offaly, Tipperary and Kilkenny.

While the Government's Housing for All strategy runs from 2022 to 2026, Laois County Council says 14 of the 40 units purchase in 2021 for social housing use were located in the Municipal District.

The report also sets out the status of 10 council house developments which would see 100 homes being delivered. Of these, 12 were completed last year. Construction has commenced on a further 43 homes. A total of 45 units are still going through an approval process.

The council is also in discussions with approved housing bodies regarding multi-unit schemes in Borris-in-Ossory, Mountrath and Mountmellick.

The following is the schedule of housing delivery set out by Laois County Council in the 2022 schedule of works.

• Construction completed in May 2021 on six units at Shannon St, Mountrath.
• Construction started in September 2020 on six units on Moore St Rathdowney.
• Construction started in November 2020 on 10 units in Pattison Estate, Mountmellick.
• Construction commenced in January 2021 on 22 units in Sean Doire, Durrow.
• Construction completed in March 2021 on six turnkey units in Borris-in-Ossory.
• Stage 4 approval granted in July 2021 for 14 units at Harbour Court, Mountmellick.
• Stage 4 approval granted in January 2022 for six units at Harbour Court Mountmellick.
• Stage 3 approval was granted in September 2021 for seven units at Mooreville, Rathdowney.
• Stage 1 approval granted in October 2021 for 18 units and four serviced sites on Derry Road, Durrow.

Laois Council embarks on big retrofit overhaul of social housing

The details were published and provided to county councillors at the March meeting of the Borris-in-Ossory Mountmellick Municipal District.