Cunningham Design & Planning are a leading multi-disciplinary team of engineers, architects and architectural technologists who, together with their team of quantity surveyors and health & safety professionals, offer a complete service ranging from initial assessment and conceptual drawings, through planning applications, to construction monitoring and final certification.
Established in 2003 by chartered engineer and assigned certifier Mark Cunningham, the practice operates from a state-of-the-art three-storey office complex at the N4 Axis Centre in Longford. When they say ‘working with you from the ground up’, they really mean it – the Cunningham Design & Planning team will guide you through those critical initial steps required to realise your project.
From initial paperwork, ground tests and approval, to break ground to final signoff, they provide a range of critical testing and certification services. From meeting with stringent building regulations to ensuring your build performs to the highest standards, the practice also provides a range of critical testing and certification services.
Cunningham Design & Planning are registered with the Institute of Engineers of Ireland as an assigned certifier under the building regulations BC(A)R 2014, with full professional indemnity insurance. They are also registered BER assessors with the Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland (SEAI), with energy efficiency design being central to their work.
With a wealth of experience within the construction industry, Cunningham Design & Planning has delivered a wide range of projects for clients throughout the midlands, from extensions and renovations to one-off homes and large residential and commercial developments. While the main focus is on design, they also place a strong emphasis on practical, cost-effective architecture with the needs of the client foremost in the process. The practice prides itself in the delivery of efficient sustainable design.
“We are continually developing our range of services and growing our team of highly-skilled engineers, chartered engineers, architects and CAD technicians to meet the needs of our client-base,” explains Mark, who graduated from Queen’s University Belfast in 1999 with a first-class degree in Civil Engineering before going on to graduate from Trinity College Dublin with a Masters Degree with distinction in Civil / Structural & Geotechnical Engineering in 2001.
“Our services include everything from extensions and new builds to conveyancing for solicitors, foundation design, raft design and drone imagery. We enjoy an excellent working relationship with our clients, many of whom are main contractors. While most of our work is concentrated in the midlands, we provide a nationwide service. We’ll go wherever the work is.”
The Longford firm’s services can be broken down into preliminaries, design, delivery and certification. Preliminaries cover planning applications, searches and compliance, surveys and mapping, trial hole and percolation tests and structural surveys, while design covers foundation design, 3D visual design, civil engineering, structural engineering and energy efficiency design. Delivery encompasses project management and supervision, air tightness testing, snag lists and final building energy rating certificate (BER), while certification comprises safety and environmental services, Fire Safety Certificate (FSC), Public House licensing applications, Disability Access Certificates (DAC) and waste permit applications.
Cunningham Design & Planning have been involved in a number of social and affordable housing schemes in recent times. They collaborated with Faughnan Construction Ltd, Mulleady Properties and Longford County Council on the €6.47 million 33-house Knock Manor development in Lanesborough which was delivered in just under 12 months last year. Funded by the Minister for Housing’s Department through Rebuilding Ireland, the project was essentially an unfinished estate. The roads / paths around the site were laid out, but the construction of the houses never proceeded, leaving the prepared site unresolved. The completed project includes 12 two-bed homes, 15 three-bed homes and six four-bed homes.
Three other social and affordable housing projects Cunningham Design & Planning has designed in Co. Longford are a 25-house development in Carragh, Granard, the 12-home Clos Naoimh Padraig scheme in Mark’s home village of Ballinamuck and a €3 million 15-house scheme at Mill Race Park in Drumlish. The practice has also provided its design and planning services to two separate housing developments in Athlone for Salamisso Developments and Balltech Construction.
In addition, Cunningham Design & Planning designed the new extension to Longford’s Pizza Hut store which was completed within eight weeks and was officially opened last April by Dublin All-Ireland winning footballer Ciaran Kilkenny and Donal McElligott, who was one of the stars of Mullinalaghta’s 2018 Leinster club football winning team. The practice is currently working on the new mill at Kiernan Milling in Granard.
Cunningham Design & Planning continues to go from strength to strength under Mark’s guidance. He is full of praise for his staff and the key role they have played in the company’s success, and concludes by thanking his clients for their support and repeat business.
Cunningham Design & Planning
Block C,
N4 Axis Centre,
Longford,
Co. Longford.
Telephone: 043-3340450
Mobile: 087-8509554
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.cunninghamdp.ie
Taken from Building Ireland Magazine, October, Vol 5 No 10
