Mr. Frank Curran:

I thank the Chair and the members of the committee for the invitation to attend to discuss the implementation of Housing for All. I am joined by my colleague, Catherine Keenan, director of housing. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council is firmly committed to increasing delivery under Housing for All. Table 1 highlights our delivery from 2018 to 2021, that is, a total of 888 units, 119 acquisitions, 361 build, 206 Part V and 202 leasing. Table 2 shows the expected delivery over the five-year period in our Housing Delivery Action Plan 2022-2026. That consists of 14,059 build, 859 Part V and 1,549 affordable.

The housing delivery action plan was developed in line with the commitment in Housing for All and highlights a significant increase in projected delivery over the next five years. The agreed funding of additional posts by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage will assist with this ambition. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council is active through all options in housing to deliver for Housing for All. The remainder of my statement will highlight some of the delivery methods mentioned in the invite letter we received from the committee.

In terms of housing for older people, we are committed to increasing the provision of older persons accommodation through our own build programme, through partnership with approved housing bodies, AHBs, and through Part V. Specific schemes delivered include Rochestown House, The Brambles and Broadford Rise. We consider an element of universal design in our own housing schemes. Examples include 60 universal design, UD, homes provided at Shanganagh and 40 in Stillorgan. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council also works to promote the development of lifetime homes by the private sector and engagement with developers commences at pre-planning stage. This proactive approach has led to a Part V project which is currently on site consisting of 43 homes, 23 of which are designed to Part M compliance for general allocation, 16 designed to UD standard and four bungalows specifically designed for wheelchair users. The continued promotion of right-sizing and development of specific schemes for older persons will enable the best use of our housing stock.

In relation to vacant homes and vacant homes officers, due to a high demand and very high rental income that can be achieved in the private residential sector in the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown area, there are very few vacant properties or properties available for rent in the market. The vacancy rate for Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown is 5.5%. This is the third lowest in the country and is consistent with that of a normal, functioning housing market. However, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown continues to maximise the use of vacant properties and is very active in this area.

The buy and renew scheme has proved to be very effective for Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown. Examples include the purchase of a small housing estate of 12 vacant homes in Churchtown, retrofitted to improve building energy rating, BER, ratings of E to G, to a range from A2 to A3. We continue to optimise the potential of this housing estate and are currently on-site with the construction of four new in-fill homes. Similarly, a block of eight homes in Deans Grange was purchased and refurbished under the buy and renew scheme in 2020.

A key objective in Housing for All is to unlock the potential to utilise vacant heritage building stock. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council purchased a turnkey development of five apartments living over the shop in Dún Laoghaire in 2021. The restoration of this Victorian building also resulted in the occupation of vacant retail units underneath. We are currently on-site developing our own vacant building, formerly our office, in Dún Laoghaire to provide four homes and a retail unit underneath. Similarly, we are on-site refurbishing four vacant coastguard cottages built in the 1800s that came into our ownership when the harbour was transferred to the council.

Over the last few years, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has carried out a deep delve exercise of vacant properties based on the GeoDirectory data. It was possible to eliminate a large number of properties, such as those under construction or business premises or due to size, location, sold, planning permission, etc., which resulted in 77 possible vacant properties for more detailed follow up. These were followed up with the owners resulting in two properties acquired under the repair and leasing scheme and a further two that are under refurbishment.

In January 2022, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council appointed a full-time designated vacant homes officer, VHO. The VHO follows up on any vacant properties brought to our attention, either through the vacant homes site or through direct contact, and actively engages with our property management section. There are currently eight properties that are of active interest and being pursued.

In relation to dereliction, the key barrier to the council acquiring sites or houses under the Derelict Sites Act 1990 is the high cost of the land and property in this county. Consequently, over the past three years, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has carried out extensive work on retrieving levies under the Act in an effort to bring sites back into productive use. In many cases, sites have become derelict while they await demolition and redevelopment through the planning process. Persistent pursual of and engagement with the owners has expedited many of these and brought cases to a successful conclusion. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has succeeded in reducing the average number of sites on the register from 22, at end of 2019, to ten currently on the register. Of those remaining on the register, three have recently been sold and we expect works to start immediately to render them non-derelict, and two have applied for planning permission.

A total of 206 homes were delivered through Part V between 2018 and 2021. Projected delivery for 2021 to 2026 provides for delivery of 859 homes under Part V. Predictions for Part V are difficult and are under constant review. Significant delays have occurred over the past few years due to the impact of Covid-19, the war in Ukraine and subsequent supply chain issues. There are planning permissions in place that carry out a Part V obligation but remain inactive. In addition, some proposed developments are new planning applications, or sites have been recently sold, so it is uncertain if developments will progress under existing planning permissions, or when they will be advanced. A number of projects are currently subject to judicial review. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has contacted and engaged with the majority of the developers operating within our area with a view to activating sites for social or affordable purposes.

The Government calls under Project Tosaigh and Croí Cónaithe cities may also assist in this regard.

Regarding the 10% of affordable housing under Part V, 130 homes are predicted based on known applications. However, as they are subject to planning, An Bord Pleanála etc., predictions and timeframes cannot be applied with accuracy.

The council is progressing a programme of affordable housing with projected delivery of 1,059 homes to 2026. Our commitment is already demonstrated in two mixed-tenure schemes. The first at Enniskerry Road in collaboration with Respond and Tuath, is providing 50 cost-rental homes in the first construction project of its kind in this country. The second is Shanganagh, a partnership with the Land Development Agency, which is also a first for this country and will deliver 306 cost-rental and 91 affordable purchase homes.

I hope this gives members an overview of the quantity, quality and ambition of the work being undertaken in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council to deliver under Housing for All. We are happy to answer any questions members may have.