by David Forsythe

A major €900,000 fire safety upgrade is to get under way at a 37-home apartment complex in Bandon after Clúid Housing awarded the contract for the works.

JD Buckley Construction Ltd has secured the €901,727 contract to carry out extensive fire remediation works at Mill Court, a purpose-built older persons’ housing scheme overlooking the River Bandon.

The project is aimed at addressing identified fire safety deficiencies and bringing the development into line with current building regulations.

Residents will remain living in the development while the four-month programme is carried out, with the contractor required to carefully coordinate the works to minimise disruption.

The contract includes installing new fire-stopping systems, upgrading fire doors, fitting cavity barriers behind external cladding, improving fire alarm cabling, sealing service penetrations and strengthening the building’s overall compartmentation to help prevent the spread of fire.

Mill Court, on Mill Place in Bandon, comprises 37 one and two-bedroom apartments with communal facilities and is designed to allow older people to live independently while remaining close to the town’s shops, services and healthcare facilities.

The contract was awarded following an open tender competition in which five bids were received. Clúid said J.D. Buckley Construction submitted the lowest-priced compliant tender, with the contract signed on July 10. Fire stopping, plastering and painting will be subcontracted as part of the project.