Repurposing with purpose: North and East Housing Association
North and East Housing Association (NEHA) is emerging as one of Ireland’s leading voices in housing regeneration.
With a strong focus on repurposing brownfield and heritage buildings, the association is demonstrating how sustainable housing delivery can align with climate goals, community wellbeing, and town-centre revitalisation.
Its work is increasingly recognised as a model for other housing bodies and local authorities seeking innovative, people-centred solutions to housing need.
This approach addresses housing need, supports climate goals, and preserves Ireland’s architectural character. It aligns with national priorities and policymaking like Town Centre First, Compact Growth, and Universal Design. For NEHA, regeneration is about people, place, and purpose, not just buildings.
From brownfield to better living
Brownfield sites are previously used lands or buildings, often vacant or derelict. Regenerating these spaces means redeveloping them for modern use. While they can pose challenges, such as less conventional layouts or heritage restrictions, they offer enormous potential. Typically located near shops, schools, and transport, their reuse helps prevent further sprawl onto greenfield land.
By focusing on adaptive reuse, NEHA reduces carbon emissions, preserves heritage, and supports walkable communities. Each project shows how housing delivery and climate responsibility can go hand in hand.
Cootehill: Heritage reborn
At 67 Market Street, Cootehill, County Cavan, an early-1800s landmark that once anchored the town’s commercial life had fallen into disuse. NEHA, in partnership with Galetech Sustainable Living, transformed the site into five apartments and four maisonettes. The restoration retains original stonework while offering modern, comfortable homes.
This is more than a housing scheme. It is a model for honouring the past while meeting today’s needs.
Arva: Banking on the future
In Arva, County Cavan, a former Bank of Ireland building has been converted into four modern apartments. The Georgian façade remains a familiar part of Market Square. Inside, wide doorways, bright interiors, and efficient heating systems provide accessible, sustainable homes.
Market Square View shows that regeneration does not mean compromise. Residents enjoy modern comfort, while the town retains its heritage character.
Ballybay: Homes and community together
In Ballybay, County Monaghan, NEHA has delivered two complementary regeneration projects that reflect its commitment to sustainable, community-focused housing.
Birch Court features four upgraded apartments now rated A2 or A3 on the Building Energy Rating (BER) scale, meaning they are highly energy efficient. Each apartment includes demand-controlled ventilation for healthy indoor air quality. A library and charity shop activates the building throughout the day, creating a shared civic and residential space.
Hall Street is a terrace of large family homes on a previously underused town-centre site. Each house is 163 square metres, BER A3 rated, and includes air-to-water heat pumps, high insulation, and accessible layouts to visitability standards. With four bedrooms each, they respond directly to the need for larger family accommodation.
Both schemes were designed with sustainability in mind. Their central locations reduce reliance on cars and improve tenant wellbeing. NEHA’s 2025 Green Waste Management Strategy is also being implemented, giving tenants practical guidance on waste separation and recycling.
Delivered in partnership with Monaghan County Council, these projects show how NEHA combines good design, value for money, and social impact to deliver regeneration in the heart of a community.
A pipeline of regeneration
NEHA’s regeneration pipeline continues to grow. Two exciting projects are in planning stages. Both locations are planned to universal design (UD) standards, with many of the homes being UD+.
In Castleblayney, County Monaghan, the Old Fire Station proposes 22 new homes for older people. The design is one of four locations being progressed under the Town Centre First Architectural Design Competition.
In Balbriggan, County Dublin, Marian House, a former convent, is being thoughtfully repurposed, proposing 24 high-quality, age-friendly homes. The development is designed to support older residents and combines strong local support with a heritage-sensitive vision.
Together, these projects point to a future where regeneration is not the exception but a mainstream solution to housing need.
Strategic impact
Marking its 30th anniversary in 2023, NEHA now manages around 900 homes across the north, midlands and east of Ireland. Its regeneration and repurposing approach have earned recognition from awarding bodies in Louth and Meath and is increasingly seen as a model for other housing bodies and local authorities.
Looking ahead to the 2025-2028 strategy period, NEHA will integrate regeneration and turnkey delivery with forward-funded turnkey models, aiming to enhance programme certainty, ensure quality, and achieve greater cost efficiency. The association is also expanding supply under the Capital Assistance Scheme, with around 50 homes currently in various development stages development in Garristown, Balbriggan, and Castleblayney.
What ties these initiatives together is a simple but powerful principle: reuse first. By focusing on brownfield and heritage regeneration, NEHA is aligning housing delivery with climate responsibility, heritage conservation, and community vitality.
More than bricks and mortar
NEHA’s regeneration projects are not just physical structures. They are statements of intent. They show that Irish towns can remain vibrant, that heritage can be preserved while meeting modern needs, and that sustainable housing can be central rather than peripheral.
As Ireland seeks solutions for both housing supply and sustainable growth, NEHA’s work offers a clear path forward. Adaptive reuse is more than a design choice. It is a strategic pathway to inclusion, sustainability, and long-term impact. Regeneration is not just a solution for today. It is an investment in the future of Ireland’s towns, communities, and people.
For more information, contact NEHA’s development team:
E: info@neha.ie
W: www.northandeast.ie
