An Taoiseach Michael Martin today officially opened a new social housing development at ‘Westview’, Coolroe, Ballincollig. The homes are delivered by Approved Housing Body and service provider Respond in partnership with Cork County Council, now part of Cork City Council. Respond currently has 1,478 homes in construction across Ireland.
Westview includes 44 new lifetime homes for Respond tenants; a mix of apartments, townhouses and duplex homes, all with private open spaces. The homes have been funded by a combination of private finance from the Housing Finance Agency and a loan from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. 124 tenants (65 adults and 59 children) have moved into these 44 new homes.
Respond now have 1,596 tenants living in 678 homes in Cork. Respond has a further 633 homes across 25 schemes planned in Cork.
Niamh Randall, Spokesperson for Respond: “We are proud of the strong working relationship we have with both Cork County and Cork City Councils, enabling us to deliver these 44 lifetime homes for families and individuals who need them. The tenants who are moving in now will become part of the community here and we hope they will be very happy. This is only possible with the ongoing co-operation of our partners. We would like to thank Cork County Council, with whom the scheme originated and Cork County Council with whom it now sits. We also thank the Department of Housing, Heritage and Local Government and the Housing Finance Agency. Our partners are essential to us achieving our goals of delivering additional social homes and providing services in the community. Over 90% of Respond’s delivery is newly constructed homes. Over the last 40 years, we have amassed considerable experience in managing the construction process and our in-house design team has wide ranging expertise in all aspects of housing delivery. We remain committed to playing our part building social and affordable homes throughout the country and providing services for families and individuals who need them.”
An Taoiseach Michael Martin T.D.: “I am delighted to officially open these new homes in Ballincollig which have been delivered by Respond with the support of the Department of Housing, Heritage and Local Government and both Cork County and Cork City Council. This high quality development is just one of a number of projects that Respond are undertaking in partnership with Local Authorities around the country to provide new social homes. Housing developments such as this one are more than just about bricks and mortar, they are about providing sustainable communities and excellent quality homes, allowing people to enjoy peace, comfort and security.”
The homes in Westview are heated by air to water heat pumps and high levels of insulation to achieve an excellent BER of A2 for the townhouses and A2/ A3 ratings for the apartments. There are two fenced playgrounds provided with play equipment, soft ground covering and grassed kick-about area.
