Building boom on horizon

A building boom is on the horizon for the Breffni county in 2024 judging by a number of planning applications lodged with Cavan County Council in recent weeks.

As the new year dawns, optimism pervades the Cavan real estate market, with several major proposed developments signalling a possible uplift in the building trade.

There are at least half a dozen live planning applications with Cavan County Council, proposing the development of more than 100 houses or apartments in the County Town and its environs alone. Tallied with plans for other towns across the county, not including social housing, the figure stands at more than double that.

Providing there is no hold-up in planning or lengthy appeals, many of the developments could break ground before the end of 2024.

Just before Christmas Weststate Ltd sought planning permission to build 20 two-storey dwellings, adding to the existing Oldtown Manor estate.

It follows Radar Investments Limited submitting plans to build a five-storey, 67-unit apartment block, coupled with the demolition of existing buildings, at Friars Walk, Farnham Road.

The five-storey apartment block will include 26 one-bed apartments, 33 two-beds, and eight three-beds units, all with balconies or ground floor terraces, and a decision is due in mid-February.

In December, Latt Properties Ltd also submitted plans in respect of a site at Creighan, where they intend to build 36 new homes, comprising a blend of single and two-storey units.

Nearby, PKBK Limited, which has a registered company address at Drumgora, Stradone, submitted plans earlier this year to demolish the Riverside Business Park, Moynehall, and replace it with a new four-storey mixed-use property consisting of a healthcare facility, two retail units and 24 residential apartments.

The council previously gave the green-light for a 96-unit extension to Station Lane, Swellan Lower, where Woodfort Corporate Ltd wants to build 10 two-bed maisonettes; 70 three-bed, two-storey units; 16 four-bed units and a crèche facility.

Elsewhere, the Talbot Group is seeking planning permission to construct eight semi-detached, single-storey, two-bed dwellings at Hillview Manor, Kells Road, Kingscourt.

In Cootehill, meanwhile, JJ McCauley Construction Ltd has been given the green light for 49 new homes on the Cavan Road in Cootehill - a mix of three and four bed semi-detached properties, two and three-bed terrace houses and one-bed apartments.

Also in Cootehill, Galetech Sustainable Living Limited has plans to renovate a vacant commercial building at 67 Market Street and convert it into four apartments.

The company has a similar set of plans in respect of the former Bank of Ireland building in Arva, which they intend to convert into four new apartments.

County Cavan saw 192 new homes completed during the first nine months of 2023, a six per cent increase on the same period in 2022 when 181 units were delivered.

It was also the highest number of completions recorded in Cavan for the first three-quarters of any year since the Central Statistics Office began first tracking the data series in 2011.

Separately, in the social housing sector, a multi-million euro investment saw Cavan County Council deliver around 80 new social housing units.

Among them were the development of 20 units (€4.3m) at Black Ridge in Ballyconnell (Peadar, Andrew and Paul Fay); 15 units (€3.3m) at Flemings Place, Ballinagh (Jimmy, Leigh and Kevin Jackson, Sandar), and six (€1.2m) units at Eanach Lao, Butlersbridge (Crosserlough Construction Ltd).

On top of that JJ McCauley Construction Ltd from Kill also signed an €800,000 contract to deliver three self-contained apartments as part of the redevelopment of Belturbet’s former Duckin’ Stool pub. This project is nearing completion, to be ready in 2024.

It is one of two former iconic pubs in the erneside town to be replaced with residential housing following an application to clear the former nearby Mad Ass bar and replace it with six fully-serviced units.

Work is also underway on a €5.8m council led development at St Brigid’s Terrace, Cavan Town, where 20 new apartments are being built.

The council is also progressing plans to develop seven residential units at Townparks, Ballyhaise, and for proposed construction/refurbishment of four units at Drumbarlow Road, Kilconny, Belturbet.

Finally, St Vincent de Paul received the go-ahead on their plans to redevelop a former night shelter as a suite of new apartments.