Written answers
Tuesday, 4 April 2006
Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government
Social and Affordable Housing
9:00 pm
Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 583: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will report on the progress to date on delivering the 10,000 affordable housing units as promised under Sustaining Progress; the exact locations and numbers agreed to date; if he will further report on the status of each such development; the qualifying criteria and the conditions governing the sale of houses under this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12990/06]
Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Substantial progress continues to be made on delivering the 10,000 housing units promised under the Sustaining Progress affordable housing initiative. Over 70 projects on State and local authority lands are planned which, together with the projected 2,500 housing units under Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2004, gives over the 10,000 housing unit target figure that was proposed by the parties to the pay agreement.
The information requested on the exact location, potential numbers of housing units and the current status of each development under the initiative is set out in the following table. In addition to these, my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, has released a series of Health Service Executive lands to the initiative which have the potential to realise 1,400 housing units. These lands are being examined by the relevant local authorities to determine their suitability for affordable housing.
The qualifying criteria for applicants under the initiative are broadly similar to the arrangements which apply under Part V. Individuals are eligible to apply for housing units under the initiative where the cost of servicing a mortgage on a market value house in the area would exceed 35% of their net disposable income.
| Affordable Housing Initiative — Current Status of Projects | |||||
| State lands | |||||
| Local Authority Area | Department | Site | Size (hectares) | Potential no. of housing units | Current position |
| Cork City | OPW / D/Agriculture & Food | Model Farm Road | 3.897 | 250 | To be considered as a land swap option |
| D/Defence | Old Youghal Road/Camp Field, Collins Barracks | 0.8 | 30 | Site identification process to be completed. | |
| Cork County | D/Agriculture & Food | Clonakilty | 15 | 80 | Feasibility study on site completed and approved by Council. Amendment to the Local Area Plan was advertised on 20 Feb '06 and was on public display until 3 April '06. |
| Dublin City | OPW | Jamestown Road | 2.63 | 240 | Closing date for receipt of tenders was 16 Jan-06. Decision imminent on the selection of a preferred bidder. |
| OPW | Infirmary Road | 1.1 | 160 | Preferred bidder selected. Contract signed on 8 December '05. Planning process has begun. | |
| D/Agriculture & Food | Harcourt Terrace Phase 1 | 0.35 | 193 | Swap process completed. Sale of 193 units in South Dublin underway. | |
| D/Defence | St. Bricin's | 1 | 250 | Preferred bidder selected. Contract negotiations ongoing. | |
| Fingal | D/Health & Children | Portrane, Co. Dublin (not serviced) | 4 | 150 | Land zoned in Development Plan June 2005 — Long term project |
| Galway County | D/Agriculture & Food | Athenry | 22 | 500 | Galway County Council agreed to rezone the site for residential purposes on 19 December '05. Part VIII approval advertised in Feb 06 for 60 units on 3 hectares of the site. Remainder of the site to be put forward as a land swap option. |
| South Dublin | D/Agriculture & Food | Backweston | 6 | 250 | To be considered as a land swap option. |
| State lands released to the Affordable Homes Partnership | |||||
| Current Status of Projects | |||||
| Local Authority Area | Department | Site | Size (hectares) | Potential no. of housing units | Current position |
| Dublin City | OPW | Broc House | 0.22 | ** | Site advertised for a land swap on 16 November 05. |
| OPW | Harcourt Terrace Phase 2 | 0.5 | ** | Swap preparatory work being undertaken. | |
| Kildare | D/Defence | Magee Barracks | 19.4 | 350 | Local Area Plan adopted Nov 05 |
| D/Agriculture & Food | Backweston | 13 | 250 | To be considered as a land swap option. | |
| Meath | D/Defence | Gormanston | 81 | 350 | To be considered as a land swap option. |
| ** The potential number of housing units for these two projects is dependent on the swap procurement process. |
| Affordable Housing Initiative — Current Status of Projects | |||
| Local Authority lands | |||
| Local Authority Area | Site | Potential no. of housing units | Current position |
| Clare | Shannon | 40 | Masterplan for the area being developed. |
| Cork City | Togher | 200 | Planning process due to be completed in May-06 |
| Kilnap Rd/Old Whitechurch Rd | 200 | Masterplan to be developed for the area by early '06 | |
| Blackpool, Cork | 20 | Construction currently underway. | |
| Shanakiel | 240 | Planning process completed in Nov-05. Construction commenced Feb-06 | |
| Buckleys Field, Blackrock | 32 | Construction completed. Housing units allocated | |
| Cork County | Castletreasure | 20 | Construction commenced July 05 |
| Greenfield | 10 | Planning process completed. Construction commenced Nov-05 | |
| Poulavone (formerly Carriganarra) | 20 | At the pre-planning stage | |
| Kilnagleary | 50 | At preliminary design stage | |
| Dublin City | Cedarbrook, Phase II | 250 | Planning process to be completed by mid-06 |
| Cherry Orchard Hospital Lands | 200 | Land transferred from Health Service Executive to Dublin City Council. Planning application to be submitted in '06. | |
| Finglas Road | 154 | Under Construction. 50 units were offered for sale in Nov 05 | |
| Malahide Road | 300 | Proposals on the development of this site are to be prepared | |
| Dún Laoghaire/ Rathdown | Site at Harolds, Grange Road, Sandyford | 100 | Negotiations are underway with adjoining land owner in relation to reaching an agreement under Part V which may result in the developer constructing affordable units on this site. |
| Fingal | Blanchardstown — Tyrellstown | 80 | Planning phase due to commence during 2006 |
| Balbriggan — Flemington Ph. 1 | 49 | Construction completed and housing units allocated in November '05 | |
| Balbriggan — Flemington Ph. 2 | 30 | Planning process completed in Jul-05. Tender documentation being prepared. | |
| Balbriggan — Balrothery | 50 | Construction underway | |
| Balbriggan — Castlelands | 100 | Planning process to be completed by Sep-06 | |
| Donabate (not serviced) | 100 | Planning process to be completed by Nov-06 | |
| Blanchardstown Cappagh | 50 | Area Action Plan adopted by Council. | |
| Galway City | Headford Road | 54 | Currently in discussions with voluntary body with a view to their undertaking a project on the same site. |
| Kerry | Balyard, Tralee | 10 | Proposals to be prepared |
| Pinewood/Deerpark, Killarney | 20 | Site to be reviewed by architect to provide 20 units instead of the original 10 | |
| Kildare | Athy | 50 | Planning process to be completed by end 06 |
| Clane | 50+ | Planning process to be completed by mid 06 | |
| Meath | Kilmessan | 25 | Construction on these 4 sites could possibly be underway in the 2nd half of 2006 |
| Ballivor | 6 | ||
| Navan | 25 | ||
| Kells | 25 | ||
| Sligo | Ballinode, Sligo Town | 100 | PPP process underway. Risk workshop took place on March 10 '06. |
| Carney | 10 | Planning process in progress. Shortlisting completed — Tender documentation to issue shortly | |
| South Dublin | Tallaght — Kiltepper | 390 | Preliminary aspects of work underway |
| Tallaght — Hazelgrove, Killinarden | 300 | Constraints Study underway | |
| Tallaght — Fortunestown | 60 | Preliminary aspects of work underway | |
| Lucan / Clondalkin — Balgaddy | 50 | Preliminary aspects of work underway. | |
| Corkagh/Grange | 200 | Preliminary aspects of work underway | |
| Waterford City | Knockboy (Ballygunner) | 50 | Construction underway |
| Logloss | 50 | Contract signed in Dec-05. Construction underway | |
| Wexford | Coolcotts, Wexford Town | 30 | Licensing agreements signed on 8 December '05. Construction underway. |
| Creagh, Gorey | 30 | ||
| Wicklow | Newtown Mount Kennedy | 20 | Site development currently underway |
| Blessington | 30 | Planning permission granted subject to construction of a relief road. |
The potential yield from sites depends on site characteristics; housing mix and other facilities; and sustainable development, i.e. in terms of local development and in terms of meeting peoples' needs. The final number of units will, therefore, be determined through the planning process.
These figures do not include Part V affordable units, 2,500, and the range of Health Service Executive lands which have the potential to yield over 1,400 units to the initiative and which are being examined by the relevant local authorities to determine their suitability for affordable housing.
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