Co. Tyrone-based Lowry Construction is delighted to be the main contractor on the Clones Renewal Scheme which consists of 21 social housing units which scooped the Excellence in Planning Award at the 2019 KPMG Irish Independent Property Industry Excellence Awards.
The prestigious accolade was presented to Cllr Pat Treanor, Municipal District Chairman of Monaghan County Council at a gala event in Dublin’s Convention Centre on November 28 last. The awards are endorsed by all relevant property professional institutes, representative bodies and State agencies, including Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland, Irish Planning Institute, Engineers Ireland, Society of Chartered Surveyors, Construction Industry Federation, Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers, Industrial Development Authority, Dublin Institute of Technology, Office of Public Works and Enterprise Ireland.
Monaghan County Council saw off strong competition from Longford County Council to win the award with Cllr Pat Treanor commenting: “We are delighted to accept this award in recognition of the Council’s urban regeneration projects in Clones, a rural border town that has suffered from dereliction and decline. Construction has commenced on the project which will provide much-needed housing within the town centre, providing 21 new homes and supporting the revitalisation of the town.”
The Council’s Registration Officer Maire Cullinan said: “The project has adopted the ‘town centre living first’ approach in addressing problems of rural town decline. The local authority, with the strong support of the community, has actively used its powers under the Derelict Sites Act and with funding under Rebuilding Ireland to put life back into the town core in a sustainable compact way, and to build momentum within the community for other development and services.”
Funded €5.2 million under Rebuilding Ireland, the Clones Renewal Scheme commenced building works in September and will see the delivery of 21 housing units at six locations on Fermanagh Street and Analore Street. The scheme will deliver multiple positive impacts, including sustaining town population, improving the vibrancy / vitality of the town along with renewed confidence and stimulating development opportunities on adjoining sites.
“Monaghan County Council have set the bar very high by winning this award and we aim to deliver a project everyone can be proud of,” Lowry Construction Health & Safety Manager Lee Williamson says.
“We were delighted that our tender was successful. It’s an exciting project which we hope to complete within 21 months, whilst causing minimum disruption to those living close to the six different sites. We also hope to use it as a springboard to undertake similar projects in the Republic of Ireland.”
Committed to delivering a high-quality product to the satisfaction of the client and project team, Lowry Construction was established by Stephen Lowry in Castlederg, Co. Tyrone. Stephen is following in the footsteps of his father John and grandfather Jack who were also builders and ran the well-respected construction firm, Lowry Bros, for half a century.
Lowry Construction carries out works in a wide spectrum of sectors, delivering progressively larger projects through steady growth and expansion. The company strives to deliver all projects on time, within budget and to the highest standard of quality. Its client-base includes all of Northern Ireland’s major housing associations, Department of Finance & Personnel, Education Authority, Health & Social Care Trust, PSNI as well as many private clients.
“One of the benefits of being a relatively small company is that we are able to offer our clients the personal touch. They have a direct line to Stephen who is very ‘hands-on’ and is always striving for improvement,” Lee continues.
Works completed to date have included many social housing schemes, school projects, including new build, refurbishment and extensions, office refurbishment works, healthcare projects, heritage works, including refurbishment of listed buildings, sheltered accommodation, construction of commercial premises along with private dwellings and minor extension works.
With corporate responsibility being key, Lowry Construction is totally committed to Health, Safety & Welfare, Sustainability, Environmental and Quality objectives in every aspect of its work.
Last year, the exceptional family-run business was shortlisted in the Social Housing category of the CEF / Specify Construction Excellence Awards for a 36-apartment development at Graham Gardens, Lisburn on behalf of Clanmil Housing Association. Lowry Construction is currently putting the finishing touches to a 16-apartment social housing development in Derry on behalf of Habinteg Housing Association, who it previously carried out a similar-sized development for in Comber, Co. Down.
The contractor recently completed a major extension at Kerry Foods’ packaging facility in Omagh, while it handed over a new 44,000 sq. ft. warehousing and fabrication facility to AJ Power Ltd in Portadown in September 2018. Another notable contract was the construction of a state-of-the-art car showroom and workshop for main Volkswagen dealers Phillips in Lisburn in 2016.
Other projects which have been successfully delivered by Lowry Construction include – Education: Bloomfield Primary School, Rainey Endowed Grammar School; Social Housing – Ashleywood Mews, Derry, Calmor View, Newry, Melmount Road, Sion Mills, Lammy Crescent, Omagh, Crossgar Road, Saintfield; Community – St Michael’s Church Hall, Sixmilecross, Newtownstewart Presbyterian Church, Portadown Scout Hall, RADAR (Risk Avoidance Danger Awareness Resource), Belfast, Sloan’s House, Loughall; Commercial – Derg Valley Leisure Centre, Foyle Jobs & Benefits; Healthcare – Nuclear Medicine Rooms, Altnagelvin Hospital, Derry.
Lowry Construction would like to thank this opportunity to thank its highly-trained and experienced staff for their dedication and hard work, and its clients for their continued support and repeat business.
Lowry Construction
30 Carncorn Road,
Castlederg,
Co. Tyrone, BT81 7RH.
Telephone: (028) 8167 0263
Fax: (028) 8167 1227
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.lowryconstruction.co.uk
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, April 2020, Vol 6 No 2
