A LIMAVADY manufacturer has completed a major contract to provide 466 timber lodges for the first Center Parcs resort on the island of Ireland.
FastHouse, part of the Lagan Group of companies, provided and erected the frames for the lodges at the €233m Longford resort, due to open next summer.
The Co Derry business, owned by Kevin Lagan, began work on the contract in January, in what was the firm's first venture into the Republic of Ireland market.
The 34-week programme of works included the delivery of ten different types of homes, ranging in size from 865 sq ft to 2,045 sq ft – the equivalent of two to four-bedroom homes.
The contract was awarded by John Sisk & Son – the main contractor of the 400-acre Longford Forest site – and saw FastHouse install the lodges at a rate of three per day to the highest global standards.
In total 14,000 wall panels were crafted for the contract with lodges taking just two weeks to produce from inception.
Sean Fox, FastHouse sales and installations director, said the company was delighted to be involved in helping deliver the highly anticipated resort.
“It shows the progression we have made in a short time that we are showcasing the quality of our rapid-build homes at a high-profile location like Center Parcs. It’s an attraction renowned for its high standards and thousands of holidaymakers will be able to see first-hand the first-class quality of our homes," Mr Fox said.
Paul Kent, Center Parcs construction and development director added: “Our lodges are a key component of the Center Parcs experience and it is essential they are of the highest quality. FastHouse has provided top-class craftmanship that will allow thousands of families to enjoy a short break at Center Parcs Longford Forest each year.”
The contract completion comes as FastHouse has confirmed it will embark on a programme of significant investment to bring its full range of services to the Irish housebuilding market from next year. It means that in 2019 FastHouse will be in position to deliver 1,500 residential units annually with significantly lower costs and reduced construction time.
The investment is part of the lofty aim of becoming the largest producer of offsite panelised wall systems in Ireland and the UK.
Center Parcs is FastHouse’s largest project to date with previous work including a range of residential developments across Northern Ireland and the UK and a number of holiday lodges at the award-winning Killyhevlin Lakeside Hotel & Spa in Enniskillen. The demand has seen the company install a third production line leading it to double the size of its workforce to 100 this year.
Center Parcs Longford Forest is set to open next summer with capacity for 2,500 guests.
