Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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340. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of projects sanctioned in round 1 of the urban regeneration and development fund roll-out; the value of same; the number of projects that have not commenced construction yet; the funding paid to date in respect of these projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10497/21]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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341. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the estimated allocation of funding for the urban regeneration and development fund; the amount of this that was expended; the amount carried forward to 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10498/21]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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342. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the allocation of funding in the 2021 estimates, including the carry-over from 2020 for the urban regeneration and development fund; the amount spent to date in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10499/21]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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343. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of projects sanctioned under round 1 of the urban regeneration and development fund; the number of these that were local authority infrastructural projects; the number that were community led projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10500/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 340 to 343, inclusive, together.

The Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) was launched in 2018 to support more compact and sustainable development. The Fund is providing part-funding for projects that will enable a greater proportion of residential and mixed-use development to be delivered within the existing built-up footprints of our cities and large towns, while also ensuring that more parts of our urban areas can become attractive and vibrant places in which people choose to live and work, as well as to invest and to visit.

The URDF is one of four funds established under the National Development Plan 2018-2027 and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has responsibility for its implementation. The URDF has a total allocation of €2 billion to 2027, with €150 million, inclusive of €84m in capital carryover, available to fund URDF supported projects in 2021.

In keeping with the aims of the National Planning Framework (NPF) and Project Ireland 2040, the URDF demonstrates a new and more tailored approach to the provision of Government support. Over its planned duration up to 2027, URDF support will be targeted in an integrated, dynamic and responsive way to support the regeneration and rejuvenation of our towns and cities.

Already, the URDF is providing assistance for major projects that will contribute to the regeneration and rejuvenation of Ireland’s five cities and other large towns, in line with the objectives of the National Planning Framework and National Development Plan.

Applications under Call 1 were open to public bodies and on 26 November 2018, URDF support was announced for a total of 88 projects throughout the country, one of which was later withdrawn by the applicant. In mid-2019 approval in principle and provisional funding allocations issued in respect of 87 projects across the country.

Of the 87 proposals approved under Call 1, 46 were in respect of feasibility studies or master planning and 41 were in respect of capital projects of which 24 have commenced .

This significant pipeline of projects is set to have a transformational impact in urban areas across the country. Through the URDF, successful applicants are receiving targeted integrated support for innovative holistic solutions to the issues that have hindered the regeneration and rejuvenation of our large towns and cities. To date provisional allocations totalling almost €300m have issued in respect of these projects.

The programme has been very well received and supported, and while responsibility for the advancement of proposals is, in the first instance, a matter for the relevant applicant my Department is working closely with applicants to advance these projects as quickly as possible.

Call 2 for proposals under the URDF was announced in 2020, with a primary focus on contributing to compact growth objectives through the support of integrated urban developments, strategic development areas combining a number of elements and schemes that support wider climate action objectives and liveability factors within our cities and towns. Applications under Call 2 were open to local authorities only. 76 proposals were received, with every local authority submitting at least one application. Because of the nature of the URDF programme the proposals are of significant scale and complexity, and each requires detailed assessment.

This assessment process is nearing completion, and I intended to soon announce a new tranche of approved URDF supported proposals, which will augment the existing pipeline of projects from Call 1 and contribute to the achievement of Programme for Government commitments and the objectives of the National Planning Framework and Project Ireland 2040.

The Table below lists the 87 projects approved under Call 1 together with up-to-date provisional URDF funding allocations and details of the payments made to each applicant in respect of their projects in 2019, 2020, and to date in 2021. As the announcement of successful proposals under Call 1 of the URDF was made in late 2018 there was no expenditure on the URDF supported capital programme in that year.