Tenders sought for social housing development on Marist grounds in Athlone

Tenders are being sought for the construction of a social housing development of 55 apartments for older people next to the Marist College in Athlone.

The value of the tender contract is estimated at €8m and will see the renovation and extension of the former Our Lady's Hermitage building - a protected structure - in the grounds of the Marist College.

The works will see 28 apartments built in the building while a new three-storey apartment block will incorporate 27 apartments and community rooms.

The project will also include demolitions of existing buildings, soft and hard landscaping and site works at lands at the existing Marist College, Retreat Road, Athlone, under the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS).

The Dublin-based Tuath Housing agency is behind the plans and said during the summer that it expected construction work to begin between April and June of next year.

The tender documents state the work will include footpath construction and surface work for footpaths; building extension work; construction work for houses; demolition, site preparation and clearance work; engineering and construction works; plumbing and sanitary works; building installation work; mechanical installations; electrical installation work; refurbishment work; construction work.

Last October, Westmeath councillors paved the way for the project to proceed by approving a contravention of the Athlone Town Development Plan to allow the site be used for housing. The land had been zoned for 'educational, community and institutional use' previously.

Tuath currently manages over 350 homes in Westmeath, having delivered its first home in partnership with Westmeath County Council in 2009.

Earlier this year, a spokesperson for the housing agency told the Westmeath Independent: "We have a further 105 homes in our delivery pipeline for this local authority area to help to meet local housing need."

The former Our Lady's Hermitage building has been in a state of dereliction for many years now, and was the scene of a significant fire in March of 2008.

Speaking last October, Westmeath County Council chief executive Barry Kehoe said the new use for the hermitage building was badly-needed.

"The Marist hermitage has been disused for a number of years, has been the subject of vandalism on occasion, and has been falling into disrepair," said Mr Kehoe.

"This is a very welcome development to convert the hermitage itself into residential units, and to build a further block behind the hermitage for 27 further apartments on the site as a whole."

The local authority official added that the project would not affect plans for the development of a new Marist College secondary school. He said the council was "very much aware of the future development of a new school on the (Marist) lands," and that this been taken into consideration throughout the evaluation of the planned Tuath Housing scheme.

The tender documents for the project are available to view on the government's eTenders website and the deadline for receipt of tenders is November 12.