RESPOND! Housing was announced the worthy winner of the prestigious ICSH Community Housing Awards 2015 for “ Most Creative Supply Response” for the completion of the NAMA owned ‘ghost estate’ at Oakley Wood, Tullow, Co Carlow. Oakley Wood is a development of family houses located in Tullow, Co. Carlow.
Denis Shanahan, Respond; Resident Support Team Leader James Gleeson, Allianz; Ned Brennan, Respond CEO; Cllr Eamon Dooley, Mayor of Offaly; Justin O’Brien, Irish Council for Social Housing President
The estate at Oakley Wood was the first unfinished estate controlled by the National Management Agency NAMA to be acquired for social housing. This project was also the first exclusively social housing NAMA project in the country to be taken on under the new private finance model of funding. It represented a unique collaboration between NAMA, Carlow County Council, the Department of Environment Community and Local Government and Respond. This development saw 55 unfinished houses completed for the benefit of families in need of housing in the Tullow area in 2014. The family estate is now supported by a community facility where RESPOND! work with residents developing programmes and supports for children, teenagers and adults. RESPOND! is delighted to have been in a position to provide long-term sustainable homes, through a new avenue (at the time) as an innovative solution to social housing shortages.
Details of other ICSH Community Awards 2015 winning entries can be viewed here
The award ceremony took place at the ICSH biennial National Social Housing Conference, Tullamore Court Hotel, Co. Offaly yesterday where CEO Ned Brennan commented:
“The Allianz Community Awards recognise and promote quality in housing delivery, management and services to tenants and communities. The calibre of entries received this year was extremely high, and RESPOND! is delighted to have made the shortlist, and even more delighted to win”
RESPOND! has committed itself to being a key player and partner in the delivery of social housing and particularly welcomes the enhanced role for AHBs in the context of the social housing strategy announced by Minister Alan Kelly in 2014.
Parag Joglekar Respond Head of Property speaks briefly about the Oakley Wood Project here
A second RESPOND! project located at Millennium Court, Co Kilkenny was shortlisted under the “Community Integration” category. Millennium Court is an excellent example of the Respond ambition to deliver not just housing but to develop integrated and supported communities where residents take a leading role in the delivery of services for themselves and their neighbours. Respond residents and volunteers are delighted with this well-deserved recognition.
Millennium Court:
Millennium Court is a housing estate of 46 homes which is managed by Respond. Completed in 2001. Currently, it has a core group of eight volunteers who work tirelessly to develop integration initiatives. The estate also contains a Community building, managed by the residents, which provides afterschool services for children aged six to twelve , a women’s group, a youth group and a very active community gardening programme. Respond are also delivering a QQI accredited Level 5 Major award in Health Service Skills in Millennium Court Community Building in 2015. Without doubt, Millennium Court delivers on Respond’s stated aim of building communities – not just houses.
Penny Dwyer, Childcare Leader and resident speaks about the community projects happening at Millennium here
Posted: updated September 2015