Home News Community In Pictures: All smiles as several housing developments containing 252 homes opened...

In Pictures: All smiles as several housing developments containing 252 homes opened in Laois

By
Alan Hartnett
-

Minister for Housing, Darragh O’Brien, was in Laois today where he officially opened several housing developments across the county.

On a whistle-stop tour, the Fianna Fail TD visited The Meadows, Mountrath Road, Portlaoise, Oakvale Meadows, Stradbally and Vignoles Gardens, Portarlington.

Minister O’Brien’s trip also included site visits to Harpurs Crescent, Harpurs Lane, The Maltings, Harpurs Lane, Portlaoise, Goldencroft, Portlaoise, The Convent Site, Church Avenue, Mount Stewart, Stradbally Road, Portlaoise, and An Lochán, Stradbally Road, Portlaoise.

Across all the developments, 252 new homes were officially opened.

Respond has successfully delivered the Harpur’s Lane development, unveiling 44 new social homes in partnership with Laois County Council.

Respond are a construction led Approved Housing Body and services provider.

Harpurs Lane, which was completed in September 2023, provides high quality lifetime homes for 128 people, strengthening community ties and enhancing local infrastructure.

Respond has a number of other estates in Laois with 434 tenants living in 192 homes.

The Maltings on Harpur’s Lane in Portlaoise are where first ever cost rental homes can be found.

The 28 cost rental homes were delivered by Clúid Housing, in partnership with Laois County Council, the Department for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the Housing Finance Agency.

Cost Rental is a new type of housing, designed for people whose income means they are not eligible for social housing or other support such as HAP, but who still struggle to rent on the open market.

The rent for a one-bedroom Cost Rental apartment in The Maltings will be €944 per calendar month, with a two-bed apartment renting for just €1,162 – a 27% saving on the average market rent for the area.

The homes will be advertised for rent in May.

Salimata Ouattara, resident pictured at Respond’s Harpurs Cresent, Portlaoise, unveiling 44 new social homes.
Minister Darragh O’Brien; Minister Sean Fleming with residents Martina Meaney, Lily Meaney, 6 yrs, Lola Meaney, 9 yrs and Marta Lebioda, resident, originally from Poland
Residents Ausra Zavialoviene from Lithuania and Aivo Cirulis from Latvia pictured at Respond’s Harpurs Cresent, Portlaoise

Brian Darcy, resident, 2 years old pictured at Respond’s Harpurs Cresent, Portlaoise

Niamh Randall, Head of Advocacy and Communications, Pictured at Respond’s Harpurs Cresent, Portlaoise, unveiling 44 new social homes.
-Parag Joglekar; Director of Investment and Development, Respond; Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien; Niamh Randall, Head of Advocacy and Communications, Respond and Declan Dunne, CEO, Respond
Granny Martina Meaney, with Lily Meaney, 6 yrs and Lola 9 Meaney
Laura and Jordan, residents, originally Dublin, pictured at Respond’s Harpurs Cresent, Portlaoise
Olga Musaneva, resident, originally from Latvia, pictured at Respond’s Harpurs Cresent, Portlaoise, unveiling 44 new social homes.
Mario Jonas, resident, originally Slovakia and Marta Lebioda, resident, originally from Poland

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD, pictured here with (L-R) Cllr Paschal McEvoy, Cathaoirleach, Laois County Council, resident Andrej Kolesnikov and Brian O’Gorman, Chief Executive Officer, Clúid Housing, at Clúids social housing development The Meadows.
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD, pictured here with resident Esther Farrell at Clúids social housing development Goldencroft.
Pic: www.CorporatePhotographersDublin.ie

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR