Tipperary housing development seeks extension after developer enters liquidation
The developer behind a Tipperary housing development has sought another 18 months to complete it after construction ground to a halt following the appointment of provisional liquidators.
Torca Developments Ltd applied to Tipperary County Council seeking more time to finish building the Colville Woods development in Clonmel, which would see a total of 122 homes developed on the site.
As part of the plans, 76 of these would be houses, and 46 of them will be apartments.
The planning permission for the development is currently set to run out on January 30, 2027, but the developer has said that they will need more time to finish building the homes.
Torca Developments have spent over €10million developing the site so far, planning files show.
An agent acting on behalf of Torca Developments said that “meaningful” construction works had been carried out across all phases of the development, and that a number of the homes were nearly complete.
“There has also been a significant cost and expenditure to the applicant thus far associated with works both on and off site,” the agent said.
“The cumulative construction expenditure was over €10million,” planning files show.
The developer is planning on having the new homes complete by July 2028, files show.
“The extension of duration is being sought to allow the orderly completion of all phases of this development, which will provide 122 homes — including A-rated, Help to Buy homes,” the agent added.
The development will also make a “significant contribution” towards housing supply in Tipperary, they said.
Earlier this year, work at the Colville Woods development ground to a halt as provisional liquidators were appointed to Torca Developments.
The news came as part of the High Court appointing liquidators to 13 companies in the Torca Homes group.
Speaking in April, then-Mayor of Clonmel Pat English expressed concern about the stopping of works on the site.
“The hope is now that people’s deposits are secured and that somebody will come in and take over the site. It is in a lovely area, and the demand for houses in Clonmel is huge,” Cllr English said.
The High Court was told that 20 individual companies within the Torca Homes group were insolvent.
According to reports at the time, 13 of the companies applied for provisional liquidators, while the other seven will go into voluntary liquidation.
Tipperary County Council are due to decide on the extension of time application by October 4.