Offaly County Council seeking to buy houses from development under construction in Tullamore

OFFALY County Council is seeking to acquire houses within a development currently under construction in Tullamore.

The local authority wants to establish a framework panel to undertake quantity surveying consultancy services for the acquisition of Part V and turnkey houses in the county.

The initial project will be for the Part V acquisition of 24 houses from a development called Wellwood in Tullamore.

This scheme is being built at Ardan and Puttaghaun by Fitzpatrick & Heavey Homes who purchased that land from John Flanagan Developments Ltd, the local company behind the plan for a private hospital and health campus in the same area close to the Tullamore bypass.

The first houses on the development are expected to be ready by the summer. An Bord Pleanala gave the go-ahead for the large scheme of residential units in January this year, including some 90 houses, 20 apartments and 38 'age friendly assisted living units'.

Part V refers to a provision in the Planning and Development Act 2000, which requires developers to provide a portion of land or housing to the local authority for social and affordable housing. The aim is to ensure a mix of housing tenure and to address housing shortages.

When a developer applies for planning permission for a residential development of more than four units, they must allocate up to 20% of the development to the local authority.

The local authority can choose to purchase completed homes within the development or accept a land transfer within or outside the development.

The council has advertised for the framework panel on eTenders. The time limit for the receipt of tenders is April 2025. The contract duration is for 60 months.