Nine months later than expected, modular homes near completion

HOUSING Ukrainian families set to move in next month

Almost 30 Ukrainian families fleeing their war torn homeland are expected to move into the new housing estate built on the edge of Cavan Town in the coming weeks.

With a tarmac road freshly laid, and landscaping almost complete, the final touches are being added to the emergency housing project on Farnham Road, adjacent to Drumnavannagh. According to the Office of Public Works (OPW), Ukrainian families are expected to move into the 28 properties by “early September”.

The latest completion date is nine months later than originally planned. The project is being built on land owned by the OPW and managed in conjunction with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY).

Responding to queries from The Anglo-Celt in October 2022, when work commenced, a DCEDIY spokesperson predicted that a total of 30 “rapid build” modular homes - revised down from an initial 60, and now 28 - would be “delivered by the end of year”.

That completion date was pushed out to February 2023, and again revised to March, then “end of May/early June”. The setbacks were reportedly due to “technical issues arising during construction” relating to site conditions and boundaries.

Asked for a further update, an OPW spokesperson assured: “The development of 28 modular homes in Cavan is almost complete. It is anticipated that the units will be occupied in early September.”

Cost

The Anglo-Celt previously reported that the modular units are being manufactured off-site in Ireland at an average cost of €145,000 each. This does not include the cost of construction, delivery and installation, or site enabling works.

Previous estimates said the project would take around €8M to deliver.

Along with the modular new builds set for Cavan, the plan is to provide 32 on-street car parking spaces, bin storage, bicycle stores, pavements, public lighting, landscaping, ESB substation, and water connections.

Cavan Town is just one of seven locations across the state where “rapid build” homes are being provided for Ukrainian refugees. The OPW spokesperson further detailed: “To-date, a total of 114 modular homes are now completed on sites around the country and 111 of these are now occupied. These modular homes are located in Mahon, Cork City (64 units), Claremorris, Mayo (28 units) and Doorly Park, Sligo (22 units).

“A further 90 homes will be completed in August and occupied in September at locations in Cavan town and Thurles, Co Tipperary; with an additional 106 units to be completed by end-October in Rathdowney, Co Laois and Clonminch, Co Offaly. A number of other sites are in the process of starting development or are currently being assessed for inclusion in the programme.”