Council plan to build more homes in former Laois ghost estate

Laois County Council have published their proposal for Mountrath

Published 22nd Sep 2026, 13:00 BST An unfinished home in Rush Hall, Mountrath. Laois County Council have published their proposal for Mountrath Laois County Council are planning to build four new houses in Mountrath.

The Council have published their Part VIII planning proposal for four new homes in Rush Hall in Mountrath.

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Two three-bedroom semi-detached houses and two two-bedroom semi-detached houses are proposed to be built at No. 86, 87, 88, 89 in the estate.

In 2019, the Council executed a Compulsory Purchase Order to acquire Rush Hall which had been left vacant. Engtek Ltd received planning permission for what was intended to be a 123 home development in 2004, but just 22 were partially completed.

Included in the Council’s latest plans are vehicle access to the sites, varied boundary treatments and landscaping works, and all ancillary site works above and below ground.

In PICTURES: Culture Night cornucopia caught on camera in Laois The plans and particulars of the development are available to view online at www.laois.ie from Tuesday, September 22 until Tuesday, October 20 inclusive. They can also be inspected at the offices of Laois County Council in Portlaoise.

People can make submissions or observations on the proposed new houses in Rush Hall before 5pm on Wednesday, November 4.

Submissions can be made online at https://consult.laois.ie or in writing to Pamela Tynan, Director of Services, Laois County Council, Áras an Chontae, Portlaoise.

These submissions need to be clearly marked as “No. 86, 87, 88, 89 Rush Hall, Mountrath - Part VIII.”