33 new social houses delivered for Mullingar

Residents have started moving into Mullingar's newest social housing estate this week.

A total of 33 social homes have been completed in the first phase of the 99 unit Balnamona development, which is located in the townland of Charlestown in the west of the town. Approved housing body and service provider Respond, which collaborated with Westmeath County Council on the project, says that it aims to deliver phase two and phase three in the second half of this year.

On track to be completed in quarter three of 2025, the development comprises of 31 one-bed duplexes, 31 three-bed duplex, 11 two-bed houses, 20 three-bed houses and 6 four-bed houses. The homes have been funded by a combination of private finance from the Housing Finance Agency and a CALF (Capital Advance Leasing Facility) loan from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

Respond says that it will open an Early Learning and School Age Care in Balnamona later this year and there is also a community building to strengthen community ties and enhance local infrastructure. The Early Years service will provide full day care service catering for children aged one to six.

All homes in this the development are BER A2 rated. The development is situated a short distance (c. 2.1km) from the Mullingar Train Station, along with various bus links located within Mullingar town centre, providing access to Dublin, Dublin Airport, Sligo and surrounding areas.

The site is also bounded by the National Cycle Network located along the Royal Canal. There are three primary schools with the 2km catchment area from the estate, while the post primary schools are located within Mullingar town centre. Additionally, there is an athletics club and a supermarket within 30 minutes walking distance of the estate.

Respond have 18,935 tenants living in 8,611 homes around the country. The organisations also has 3,206 homes in construction across the country.

Niamh Randall, Spokesperson for Respond, highlighted the collaborative effort:

"The partnership with Westmeath County Council has been instrumental in bringing this development to fruition. It's a testament to what we can achieve together for the community. We are grateful for the ongoing support from our partners, including the Department of Housing, Heritage and Local Government, the Housing Finance Agency and The Housing Agency, which is crucial in delivering high-quality social housing and meeting the needs of communities. The tenants who have moved into Balnamona will now become an integral part of the community here and we hope they will be very happy.”

“Over the last 40 years, we have amassed considerable experience in managing the construction process. Currently, more than 82% of Respond’s delivery is focused on construction-led activity adding to the national housing stock; this means we buy the land and fund the construction at every stage of the development process with our in-house experts overseeing the construction process ensuring both quality and cost control. We remain committed to playing our part working with the incoming Government to build much needed homes throughout the country and providing services for families and individuals who are in need.”