Written answers

Tuesday, 14 December 2021

Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government

Housing Provision

Photo of Eoin Ó BroinEoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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259. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the status of the development of the site of St. Kevin’s Hospital, Cork; the number of units of housing that will be delivered on the site; the number of these that will be social; the number that will be cost rental; the number that will be affordable purchase; if the average purchase cost and rental price for the affordable rental and affordable purchase can also be outlined; and the timeline for delivery. [61224/21]

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Land Development Agency (LDA) was established on an interim basis in September 2018, by way of an Establishment Order made under the Local Government Services (Corporate Bodies) Act 1971. The Land Development Agency Act was recently signed in law and, on commencement, the LDA will be established as a commercial State agency.

The LDA are currently progressing the development of a HSE site at St Kevin's Hospital in Cork. The site is 14.5 acres and is expected to deliver 265 homes, of which there will be 100 houses or duplexes and 165 apartments. In April this year the LDA was granted planning permission for this site and the LDA have advised my Department that a tender for enabling works was recently issued. These enabling works are expected to commence in Q1/Q2 2022, with the first homes delivered in 2023. This is predicated on successful procurement of building contractors through an open tender process.

In line with Part V of the Local Government Act 2000, as amended by Part 6 of the Affordable Housing Act 2021, a minimum of 20% of this site will be developed for local authority social and affordable housing. Furthermore, under the LDA Act, there is a minimum 50% affordable housing delivery requirement for those relevant public lands which are subject to Part 9 of the Act, with a minimum of 80% affordable housing on relevant public lands in urban areas with a population greater than 150,000, that is Dublin and Cork cities. This will be in addition to the increased 20% Part V social and affordable housing obligation introduced under the Affordable Housing Act which will ensure that there will be 100% affordable and social housing on such lands in our largest cities. At this stage, the exact mix of cost rental and affordable purchase on St. Kevin's Hospital is yet to be finalised, however the LDA anticipate that both forms of affordable housing will be delivered on the site

The LDA have advised that the affordable purchase homes will be made available at up to the maximum reduction to market value in line with the Affordable Housing Act 2021, and any subsequent regulations. They have also advised that it is not possible, at this point in time, to state what the price for cost rental homes will be as it will depend on a number of factors such as construction costs.

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