Work on major Mayo town development to commence this year

COMMUNITY NOTES: BALLYHAUNIS - WESTERN PEOPLE (JANUARY 13 EDITION)

Work will likely commence on the conversion of the former convent school building into a library in mid-2026, according to the Mayo County Council official overseeing the project.

The project is being completed with a €5.2 million government grant, as well as a loan of €500,000 being taken out by the council.

Bryan Scanlon, executive engineer at Mayo County Council, explained to this column that his office will this month submit key documents relating to the project to the government department funding the works.

“We have submitted the Stage Two Submission to the Libraries Development section of the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht (DRCDG).

“Our next step is to make a pre-tender submission to the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) under the DRCDG, which we hope to submit by the end of this month.”

The architects for the project, Reddy Architecture & Urbanism, have been working on a design blueprint for the development, said Mr Scanlon.

“The detailed design is well underway, and contract documents are well advanced.

“Subject to the approval of the pre-tender submission by the Department, we can then go out to tender with the main contract.

“We would expect that the main works will commence on site in mid-2026.

“This is also subject to Department approval.

“The main construction contract is expected to take just over a year, with fit-out to follow that.”