30 homes to be constructed at historic Laois site described as an ‘eye-sore’ in ‘total state of dereliction’

A historic site in Laois, labelled an “eye-sore” and in a “total state of dereliction” has been earmarked for a new 30-home development.

The Irishtown Maltings site on the Portlaoise Road in Mountmellick was listed among a range of social housing projects currently being undertaken by Laois County Council.

Once a well-known malting factory, the site has been in council ownership for some time, but has been a bone of contention for local residents over the years, as often expresses by Cllr Paddy Bracken.

“It is a derelict site that is disgraceful on the way into Mountmellick,” Cllr Bracken told Laois County Council in 2021.

The Fianna Fáil Cllr continued to express his disappointment in the lack of progress at the site as recently as January of this year.

Independent Cllr Ollie Clooney agreed, saying the derelict Maltings site “gives off a bad vibe” in Mountmellick.

The project is in the very early stages, with the Council only releasing partial information so far.

The Design Team is due to be appointed followed by a Stage 1 design submission by the end of the year.

“This development and these homes will play a vital part in enhancing and sustaining the town community of Mountmellick,” the Council said.

“This too will address the vacancy and dereliction on the site over a good number of years.

“At present the development is being considered for a mixture of units within the site of the Old Maltings buildings and will be delivered directly by Laois County Council.”

Funding for this development will be provided from Social Housing Investment Programme (SHIP), capital support provided to Local Authorities under the Housing For All Programme to facilitate the funding of construction, acquisition or refurbishment of new social housing units.

The site was previously identified as an “opportunity site” in Laois County Council’s Mountmellick Local Area Plan 2018 – 2024.

The area plan outlined several positive aspects of the 0.37ha brownfield site, including:

• Strategically located on the Portlaoise Road into the town with direct access onto the National Secondary Route N80;
• Fully serviced;
• Extant permission for residential development of 37 apartments;
• Outside of Flood Zones A and B.

The Area Plan said any proposed development “should address the extensive street frontage and be designed to an exceptional standard.”

The Plan said residential development at site presented an “opportunity to intensify development to provide a key landmark or gateway building to signify the approach and entrance to the town from Portlaoise to create a sense of arrival.”

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