New social housing estate in Offaly opened with 159 tenants

A NEW social housing estate in Tullamore was officially opened today.

Kingswood, which is off the Arden Road in the county town, comprises 77 houses and 159 tenants moved into the homes in March and August last year.

The scheme was developed by Respond, an approved housing body (AHB) which works with Offaly County Council.

The houses were allocated to households on the County Council’s housing waiting list, including people exiting homelessness, those living in overcrowded family homes and tenants who had received notice to quit due to landlords selling their property.

It was funded with Government support through the Capital Advance Leasing Facility (CALF)and long-term loans from the Housing Finance Agency which aim to support the delivery of social homes in Offaly.

Construction was by Whitebox Property Development Ltd and the scheme has 28 two-bedroom bungalows, 19 three-bedroom terraced houses 14 two-bedroom terraced houses, eight one-bedroom apartments and eight two-bedroom apartments.

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD officially opened Kingswood and said: “Approved Housing Bodies are key to delivering the scale and quality of housing our country needs. This Government is providing sustained investment to AHB’s like Respond to facilitate the delivery of high-quality housing developments like here in Kingwood.”

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Minister Browne added: “By working in partnership, the State and AHBs can accelerate delivery, strengthen communities, and ensure that everyone has access to safe, secure, affordable homes.”

The Minister was joined by Respond’s director of strategy and public affairs, Niamh Randall, Cllr John Leahy, Cathaoirleach, Offaly County Council and the council's chief executive, Eoghan Ryan.

The development of Kingswood means that Respond now provide 244 homes in Offaly with a total of 610 tenants.

Respond says it is Ireland’s largest construction-led AHB and service provider and now has 20,000 people in more than 9,000 homes across Ireland.

Respond says community is at the core of its housing projects and Kingswood was designed with tenants’ quality of life at its centre.

The organisation said each home is built to the highest standards of energy efficiency and sustainability, featuring air to water pumps, electric vehicle charging and heat recovery ventilation.

Tenants were invited to pre-tenancy meetings to help prepare for moving in, learn more about how their Respond tenancy works and meet Respond staff in advance of their move.

The Kingswood community includes an outdoor play area and an outdoor space for large community gatherings, reflecting Respond’s community centred approach.

A centrally located family park is easily accessible to all tenants, and the development has been designed to integrate with the surrounding landscape.

Niamh Randall, spokesperson for Respond said: “These homes provide a safe and secure foundation for people to build their lives. Today is about more than new homes; it’s about creating a place where people feel settled, supported and connected. From the moment tenants receive their keys, our Tenant Experience team is there to support them and help them feel at home. That early support makes a lasting difference.

“This development is especially important as it provides bungalows for older people, helping them move into the next stage of life while remaining part of their community.”