The Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, Damien English, T.D. was present to open the four new homes, which were built on a previously derelict site. The two 2-bedroom and two 1-bedroom houses provide opportunities for older people living in larger homes, in the town, with accommodation more suitable to their needs.

Speaking at the official opening, Minister English welcomed the new homes saying that the development helps to address another dimension of the housing problem in that “many older people live in large houses that are perhaps no longer suitable for their needs, and while they wish to continue to live independently in their locality, they have limited alternatives open to them. These homes developed by Meath County Council are purpose built, close to local services, public transport and to the town centre and give people a viable alternative and potentially free-up larger homes for others that need more space.”

On his visit to the development, Minister English and local representatives met with some of the new residents and saw at first-hand the key features of their new homes. One resident, Martin Slevin said that his new home “has transformed my life and provides me with a living space that meets all my needs.”

Mayor of Navan, Cllr. Jim Holloway was delighted with the houses saying that “this type of development is something that I have been requesting for a number of years. It is great to see people moving into new, smaller, and purpose-built houses. This can only be the start of giving more people the opportunity to rightsize their home to meet their needs.”

The Council’s Director of Housing, Barry Lynch explained that Universal Design Guidelines were used so that the houses work well for everybody, “they were designed with four key principles in mind. The houses are integrated into the neighbourhood; they are easy to approach, enter and move around in; they are easy to use, manage and maintain; and they are safe, cost effective and adaptable over time. The Council hopes in time to develop more such units, at appropriate locations in towns across the county.”

The opening of the Proudstown Road houses are the latest in a number of additional homes that Meath County Council expects to deliver in the coming years. In total, 1325 new additional homes, through construction, acquisition, the Part V process and in conjunction with the Approved Housing Body (AHB) sector, will be delivered in the county up to the end of 2021.

The development was designed by James J. Ahern and constructed by J. Davis Construction Ltd. The total cost of the development was €825,000, with Meath County Council receiving support under the Rebuilding Ireland Programme for the project.