Funding secured for €6.85m housing enabling infrastructure

Cavan County Council is pleased to announce that it has secured significant funding through the Housing Infrastructure Investment Fund (HIIF) for two strategic housing-enabling infrastructure schemes worth €6.85 million in Cavan Town.

The funding, for schemes at Drumlark and Station Road in Cavan Town, was announced on Tuesday morning by Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD and is being managed by the Department’s Housing Activation Office.

The Drumlark Enabling Infrastructure Scheme, a €5m project which was earmarked for funding in today’s announcement, will provide housing-enabling infrastructure comprising a new roundabout, approximately 400 metres of new access road, footways and stepped cycle tracks on both sides, along with public lighting and ancillary works.

The scheme will eliminate current constraints that are limiting housing delivery on adjoining lands and represents phase 1 of a wider strategic access framework for the Drumlark area. It’s expected that this scheme will enable the provision of up to 520 housing units in the Drumlark area, a strategically important locality in proximity to Cavan General Hospital, local schools, and the town centre.

The €1.85m Station Road (L2541) Enabling Infrastructure scheme will comprise continuation and widening of public footpaths along Station Road a raised pedestrian crossing / gateway treatment, and local kerb realignments, junction improvements and sightline upgrades at the junction of station Road with the R198 Railway Road.

The scheme will address existing pedestrian connectivity, road safety, and junction-capacity constraints, and support the early activation of adjoining housing lands in a strategically significant part of Cavan Town.

Cathaoirleach of Cavan County Council, Cllr Carmel Brady has welcomed the announcement, saying, “Cavan County Council has made great strides in increasing housing delivery, but a key constraint – especially in a large urban centre like Cavan Town – has been the surrounding infrastructure. I’m delighted Minister Browne and his department officials have recognised this through the establishment of the Housing Infrastructure Investment Fund, and I want to thank them for their support of these two worthy schemes, which will improve safety, encourage active travel, and pave the way for much-needed housing supply”.

Chief Executive of Cavan County Council, Eoin Doyle said, “Increased delivery of housing is a core motivator for Cavan County Council, and these projects will support the delivery of increased social housing and private development, as well as advancing our goals of improving road safety and encouraging active travel, thereby promoting public health and reducing carbon emissions. We will continue to pursue increased housing and associated infrastructure provision using all the means at our disposal. I’d like to thank our staff in Road Design, Planning, and Housing Construction in particular for their efforts on these projects, and also acknowledge the support of our elected members in securing funding for capital projects.”

Director of Service for Roads and Infrastructure, Economic Development and Enterprise, Climate Change, Environmental and Water Services, Paddy Connaughton also hailed the announcement stating, “I’d like to thank the Department for recognising the quality of these applications and the strategic importance of these two schemes. I want to also acknowledge the efforts of the Road Design, Planning, and Housing Construction teams who’ve worked together closely to identify key enabling infrastructure projects and successfully target funding to deliver them”.

Following successful securing of funding, the next steps for these schemes will be the advancement of a detailed plan, progression through the Part 8 process, and preparation of a project programme with a view to procuring a contractor and delivering the works.