Athenry is to become the first location in Galway to benefit from a new Design-Build Contractor Framework that will expedite the delivery of new construction projects across the city and county.

Galway County Council and Galway City Council have jointly developed the framework to enable the delivery of social and affordable housing developments through the accelerated delivery programme of Design-Build.

Two developments in Athenry, which are the first projects to benefit from the framework, will deliver 30 new homes at the existing Gort Mhaoilir social housing estate and a further eleven units at the existing Curlibaun estate in the town.

Galway County Council has awarded the Design-Build contract for the two developments to Studio PKA as Architect Lead with an integrated design team comprising Mulcahy Mc Donough (QS), SDS Design Engineers (Civil & Structural Engineers), CBS Consulting Engineers (Mechanical & Electrical Engineers) and Fact Fire Consulting Engineers (Fire Engineering Services).

“The new framework, which operates on the basis of a two-year contract with an option to extend, will speed up the delivery of construction projects across Galway City and County while also promoting the use of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC),” explained Michael Owens, Director of Services for Housing with Galway County Council. The integrated design team services element of the framework allows for a single appointment for each project of an Architect Led integrated design team comprising all disciplines rather than separate individual appointments of each discipline.

“Both local authorities are now able to run a mini-competition for projects on e-Tenders which will be confined to the six pre-qualified participants only, therefore reducing the administrative burden of larger open competitions,” he added.

Pictured at Áras an Chontae for the Design-Build contract signing for two housing developments in Athenry (back – from left) Galway County Council’s Alan Brogan (Executive Engineer), Michael Owens (Director of Services), Liadhan Keady (Administrative Officer) and Damien Mitchell (Senior Engineer), with (front) Angela Spelman (Administrative Officer), Eithne Murphy (Senior Executive Engineer), Liam Conneally (Chief Executive) and Cllr Albert Dolan, Cathaoirleach of Galway County Council, and Paul Keogh and Ellen Mathews of Studio PKA.