Housing on the horizon

With the delivery of three new social housing units at the former Duckin' Stool pub in Belturbet earlier this year, council staff are working on several others with 2025 completion dates in the offing.

Members of the Cavan-Belturbet Municipal District area recently approved plans to redevelop the former Flynn’s bar at Lower Kilconny and the adjoining residence to deliver four two-bed housing units.

The premises was run, until its closure during Covid, by local businessman John Gerard. He had taken over from his late parents John and Nola who set up there in 1967. It had served the community as bar and grocery going back to the 1900s.

A contractor has yet to be appointed to the project, but an announcement is expected early in the New Year.

Elsewhere, progress is expected over the coming year in respect of plans to build nine new houses at Widow's Row.

Planning was granted back in February 2023 to demolish six existing single-storey dwellings, and replace them with a residential scheme, together with off-street parking and connections to the existing public sewerage system.

The development will consist of one two-bed, semi-detached bungalow; five two-bed, semi-detached, two-storey dwellings; and one three-unit, one-bed, three-storey dwelling.

A deal to buy the derelict properties adjacent to the Fay Crescent was struck back in 2021. The properties were previously owned by the representative body of the Church of Ireland.