Age friendly housing could be completed this summer

AN AGE friendly housing development which has encountered multiple setbacks and several delays, could be on track to be completed this summer –nearly three years after starting construction.

Cleary and Doyle Construction were appointed by approved housing body Clúid Housing to take charge of the Maplewood and Fernwood developments with the view of completing them by this summer.

After getting its supply chains in place and completing condition surveys, the contractor has been busy working on both sites, which are in Springfield, since February.

When Cleary and Doyle Construction was appointed to finish the 40 new social homes and community centre, the projected completion date of the Maplewood site was early-May.

With this date now passed, the local authority believes it will be finished in July.

“This scheme is scheduled to be completed by 31st of July 2023,” the council said on May 16.

“In relation to when the units will be occupied the council does not have this information at this particular time.”

Since then, the council has offered another update to say the housing allocations department have been working with applicants seeking a property in the scheme.

“I wish to advise that Housing Allocations have not been advised of a confirmed handover date for the units at Maplewood/Fernwood,” the council said on May 24.

“However, nominations have been made to successful applicants and we have received acceptances for same.

“As soon as we are informed the units are available for allocation our nominations will be forwarded to the relevant housing body.”

Initially valued at €9.5m, the 23 homes at Fernwood and 17 homes with a community room at Maplewood were voted through South Dublin County Council in 2018 – despite 596 submissions.

South Dublin County Council appointed Clúid Housing as an approved housing body to manage the social housing developments.

FORRME Construction were initially contracted by the approved housing body, Clúid Housing.

Construction was due to be carried out over a 15-month period and be completed in October 2021.

However, the two developments were delayed to November 2021, and again until March 2022 before settling on August/September – as outlined in an update in May.

Construction challenges such as labour and material shortages were cited as the reasoning behind the delays.

On September 5, Clúid Housing decided to terminate the contract with FORRME Construction, as “it has become clear that the contractor is no longer able to complete the project”.