New contractor appointed for older persons’ housing schemes

A NEW contractor is currently being appointed and has started procuring sub-contractors for the older persons’ housing schemes at Fernwood and Maplewood, after several delays struck the project.

Initially valued at €9.5m, the 23 homes at Fernwood Park and 17 homes with a community room at Maplewood Park in Tallaght has gone through several delays over the past year.

According to the approved housing body (AHB) Clúid Housing, which will run the two housing schemes on behalf of South Dublin County Council, activity is starting on the sites.

It is understood that it will take a few weeks before the new main contractor is ready to establish their site set-up, with works expected to recommence on both sites by the end of January.

There were some concerns raised by residents over the Christmas period when the lights which illuminate the laneways created by hoarding at the Fernwood development had switched off.

However, this has since been remedied, with the laneways now lit-up after dark.

The Echo reported in September 2022 that Clúid had terminated the contract with FORRME Construction, the builder originally appointed to carry out the development.

At that stage, it was reported that Clúid was in discussion with another contractor and that it was “hopeful” that works would restart in October – but this did not materialise.

There was substantial opposition to the project to the sum of 596 submissions before it was voted through the council in 2018.

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

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.

Labour and material shortages were originally cited as the reasons behind delaying the projects, before Clúid took the decision to cut ties with the contractor, FORRME.

Separately, the council received 134 applications county-wide under the Housing Aid for Older People scheme throughout last year.

Of the applications, 40 were approved and paid on completion of works to their property and 28 are approved awaiting the completion of works for payment.

Seven applications are currently being assessed and the same number was refused as they did not qualify, while 37 applications were incomplete – with the authority working to engage applicants for required additional information.

Over the past two months, the council had received a further 16 applications which are yet to be validated.