Scrapped Athy housing could be back on track

IT HAS been confirmed that a revised development programme is being created for the 73-unit residential development at Ardrew in Athy.

At the most recent meeting of the Athy Municipal District, cllr Aoife Breslin sought an update on the long-awaited construction of 73 houses at Ardrew, after the project was suddenly halted by the government’s Department of Housing due to rising costs in June. Local representatives and residents were shocked by the decision as the development was, at the time, streamlined for construction with a contractor on standby.

The department not only stopped this development in Athy, but many others across the country. Since then, the department has been pursuing new approaches for the delivery of the project in Athy.

In response to cllr Breslin’s question, Kildare County Council confirmed that it is currently engaging with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the National Development Finance Agency and other local authorities involved in the delivery bundle to finalise funding and delivery arrangements.

According to the senior executive engineer with the council’s Housing and Regeneration Department, a revised programme outlining the next stages, including design development, procurement and construction, is expected to be in place in the coming weeks.

The update suggests that progress on the Ardrew housing project is moving closer to the construction phase following ongoing co-ordination between national and local agencies.

Responding to the report, cllr Breslin noted that while the reply was “relatively positive”, she insisted that the item be kept on the agenda.

“We are in a housing crisis,” she reminded the council. “We are crying out with the housing list and homelessness. I ask that this stays on the agenda.”