‘Ostmen Place’ is an example of a Social Housing regeneration project – delivered via Part 8 Planning – and providing new homes on a challenging, limited, City brownfield site, which required the demolition of vacant existing buildings, significant bulk excavation, and work to existing boundaries. Creating a proud sense of place and community to both its new residents, and local Waterford City area – the sensitive architectural intervention worked with the urban grain, and aesthetic throughlines, of greater area it forms part of – to the benefit of the area’s social and building fabric.
Working closely with Waterford County Council, CJFA delivered 14-units as part of the Social Housing Development, providing a mix of one, two, and three bedroom accommodation:
- 4 no. 1-bed apartments,
- 3 no. 2-bed apartments,
- 5 no. 2-bed 2-storey duplex units,
- 1 no. 2-bed wheelchair accessible apartment,
- 1 no. 3-bed 2-storey apartment.
These include some ‘own door’ access from the street at ground floor levels.
At the time of CJFA’s appointment to the project in 2019, the site – which sloped from east to west – contained a single vacant dwelling house and associated garden on the south‐east corner. The site was bound by Waterford’s Inner Ring Road to the north the Ballytruckle Road and by private properties to the south and east. An existing access onto the Ballytruckle Road was in very close proximity to the signalised junction. The area had a mixture of private residential properties, and directly opposite the site was a then relatively new apartment development, further west along the Inner Ring Road a then new development had then been completed together with a primary and secondary school located further south along the Ballytruckle Road. The roads around the site were busy particularly at school times.
Alongside these elements to address – it was WCCC’s intention that the proposed development would provide a ‘feature’ building for the south‐east corner of the junction, befitting of its prominent City position while being cognisant of the locality. Construction works also required the demolition of the existing derelict building on the site, as well as boundary treatment, and 12 no. car parking spaces (including disabled car parking spaces).
When completed, and renamed ‘Ostmen Place’, CJFA delivered a range of one, two, and three-bedroom accommodation, all with minimum a2 ratings – in a mixture of apartment and housing units, with terrace construction varying in height from 2 storeys to 4 storeys.
The finished building fronts onto two key Waterford City public roads (the Inner Ring Road [R709], and the Old Tramore Road), and acts as a new focal feature for the south\east corner of the junction. The design aesthetically befits its prominent position in the City, while being cognisant of the locality. Architectural features include bay projections to continue create a streetscape, and a project canopy roof. Large windows & spacious balconies are provided, while the design is mindful of the need for the lower floors to be street friendly, yet rugged and durable.
Carparking, a landscaped courtyard, and a public area serving as communal amenity space, have all been delivered to the rear of the development, around which the accommodation has been arranged, and the development is located close to schools, and within walking distance of amenities.
The project represents a successful Part 8 Development, which both structurally, and socially, rehabilitates a formerly derelict area of the City, while creating a safe neighbourhood of homes.
The ‘Ostmen’ element of the new development’s name, comes from Middle English, and meaning ‘men from the East’. This was the old name that was given to Danish settlers who anciently settled along the east coast of Ireland C and the name is appropriate to the history of the townland of Ballytruckle, which is named after a Danish chieftain of Waterford, called Torcal (Baile Thorcail).
