Five year regeneration wait on north Longford estate given €4.9m cash injection

The seven figure announcement for Granard's Colmcille Terrace brings an end to a near five year long wait for progress on a project that has been beset by funding difficulties.

It's understood the monies will be ring-fenced to address a number of derelict houses on the estate and revamp up to 19 units in total.

In the region of €1.6m had been set aside in May 2018 by then housing minister Eoghan Murphy to revamp 12 vacant units on the estate. 

Longford County Council opened talks with approved housing body, Tua, soon after in an effort to fast-track those plans.

Longford literary connoisseurs ‘Blown away’ by Granard Booktown success

From early on Friday afternoon it was clear something special was up in Granard.

 

Those efforts, however, appeared to stall in more recent times, sparking fury among local residents who raised concerns over heightening health and safety issues on the estate.

Ambitious plans for former Granard bank given planning green light

Eighteen months after it shut its doors to the public, Granard's former Bank of Ireland headquarters is primed to be transformed into a residential and office based development.

 

This evening, those anxieties, have all but eased after the announcement was made by Longford County Council Cathaoirleach Cllr Turlough McGovern.

"This is huge news," he said.

"Residents on the estate have been made to wait a long time for this day, but now that day has finally arrived and I look forward to work commencing on the estate in the very near future."