Wexford County Council’s Social Housing Programme has received a major boost following the news that the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government has approved the purchase by the Council of 57 houses in two social housing turnkey projects.
Wexford County Council will purchase 35 units at Ard Uisce, Whiterock, Wexford Town at a total cost of €8,030,000. The houses are part of a larger scheme which recently commenced construction and the units are expected to be completed in 2018 and 2019.
The purchase by the Council of a further 22 units at Gleann an Ghairdin, Ballytegan Road, Gorey at a cost of €5,225,000 has also been approved and these units are also expected to be delivered over the next two years.
Senior Housing Officer Padraig O’Gorman told today’s monthly meeting of Wexford County Council that the Departments’ approval to the turnkey projects is the result of a complex negotiation process that commenced in 2017.
“In order to fastrack our delivery of social housing, Wexford County Council is seeking to secure turnkey housing developments in a number of locations throughout the county” said Mr O’Gorman. “I am very pleased that we have received approval to these projects in particular, as the houses will be located in the two urban areas in the county where we have the strongest demand for social housing. I want to congratulate and to thank all my colleagues on the Housing Team for their hard work on these projects and on other social housing initiatives that are also starting to bear dividends”.
Mr O’Gorman advised the Members that the Council continues to engage with builders who wish to develop housing schemes in areas with a social housing demand, and he is hopeful of securing approval to further turnkey social housing projects in a number of towns and villages in the coming months.
