The number of homes planned for vacant Dublin City Council-owned land is to be increased by 80 per cent following the publication of the Government’s action plan for housing.
The council had sought expressions of interest from the private sector to develop about 1,300 homes on three of its largest vacant sites.
However, it now plans to add another five sites and 1,000 additional homes to its Housing Lands Initiative scheme.
Plans for the development of the first two sites, at O’Devaney Gardens in Dublin 7 and St Michael’s Estate in Inchicore, will be presented to city councillors early next month. If approved, construction could start early next year.
Two years ago, the council’s head of housing Dick Brady first put forward the proposal to develop “public housing” on 30 hectares of vacant council-owned land.
Public housing, he said, would involve social housing, but also long-term rental housing to be offered at market rates, and “at cost” to lower-paid workers.
Housing Lands Initiative was subsequently developed to include the proposals announced in Budget 2016 for “affordable” starter homes geared towards first-time buyers and costing €300,000 or less.
The council said it would be realistic that a two-bedroom home could be priced at €240,000 because there would be no site acquisition costs on the land.
Mr Brady and the council’s head of planning Jim Keogan had been due to present a report to councillors on plans for the sites at O’Devaney Garden and St Michael’s Estate and the third site, at Oscar Traynor Road in Coolock, last May, but decided to postpone the meeting pending the publication of the housing plan.
The council now plans to add sites it owns at St Teresa’s Gardens, the Valley site at St Helena’s Road in Finglas, Balcurris in Ballymun and Bridgefoot Street and Cork Street, both in Dublin 8, to the construction programme.
Social housing
Unlike general housing schemes built by the private sector, where just 10 per cent of the homes must be provided for social housing, 30 per cent of the homes on each of the eight sites will be reserved for social housing.
The council housing initiative programme is referenced in the Government’s action plan under the heading “Mixed-tenure development on State lands”.
The council said it would be prepared to “proceed immediately” with the social housing elements of each site as sanctioned under the plan, starting with O’Devaney Gardens and St Michael’s Estate.
“The Department [of housing] would have to cover the cost of site development works and of the social housing,” the council said.
In some cases, it added, “significant site development works will be required to facilitate development”.
The recently announced €200 million local infrastructure housing activation fund could be used to cover these costs.
Under the land initiative scheme, Oscar Traynor Road would accommodate 660 homes, O’Devaney Gardens 479 and St Michael’s Estate 290.
Of the newly added projects, St Teresa’s Gardens has the greatest potential, with a possible 500 homes on lands beside the existing council flats, which are currently being redeveloped by the council.
The Ballymun site as the potential for 150 homes, the Finglas and Bridgefoot Street sites could accommodate 100 homes each, with a smaller site on Cork Street having room for 40 homes.
