Mayo County Council outlined their housing programme for the coming year to the members of the Housing SPC this week. However, a lot of the planned work depends on the size of the grants received from central government. Most of the work that is planned is in refurbishment programs outlined for 14 different areas around the county. Cllr Eddie Staunton asked if refurbishment works were going to go ahead this year, to which he was told by Mr Paul Benson, for Mayo County Council: “It is a wish list, areas we have identified that works could be done. We have been in discussions with the department but it all depends on what funding comes down. Then we can set out a plan as to the estates and areas we will do. We do not want to get people’s hopes up and then let them down. It all depends on the funds we get.”
The council are currently at tender stage for an energy efficiency programme of works on 22 houses in Newport at Sea View, and Oak Park, while a similar programme for Sea View in Ballycastle is at the survey stage. The meeting was also told a number of projects around the county are coming close to competition. The traveller accommodation scheme consisting of four units in Laveymore, Charlestown, should be completed by the end of the first quarter of this year. While in the Ballina area two social housing projects of four units each in Knockleagha and on the Foxford Road should also be completed by the end of this year. While a two unit development at Mount Asumpta in Ballina is currently at the tender stage after it was approved by the department