Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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357. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the current status of the proposed development of affordable housing by the Land Development Agency, Sandy Road, Galway; if the land is owned by the Land Development Agency; the level of funding that has been committed to the Land Development Agency to enable the project to proceed; when the planning permission will be sought for the project; the projected completion date for the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51914/22]

Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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358. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the current status of the proposed development of affordable housing by the Land Development Agency, Dyke Road, Galway; if the land is owned by the Land Development Agency; the level of funding that has been committed to the Land Development Agency to enable the project to proceed; when the planning permission will be sought for the project; the projected completion date for the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51915/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 357 and 358 together.

Housing for All provides a new housing plan for Ireland to 2030 with the overall objective that every citizen in the State should have access to good quality homes through a steady supply of housing in the right locations, with economic, social and environmental sustainability built into the system. The strategy sets out, over four pathways, a broad suite of measures to achieve its policy objectives together with a financial commitment of in excess of €4 billion per annum.  

The Land Development Agency has an immediate focus on managing the State’s own lands to develop new homes, and regenerate under-utilised sites. In the longer-term, it will assemble strategic land-banks from a mix of public and private lands making these available for housing in a controlled manner, which is expected to bring essential more long-term stability to the Irish housing market.

The Dyke Road site forms part of a strategic brownfield landbank located on the edge of Galway City Centre which has been identified for comprehensive redevelopment by Galway City Council. The site extends to c. 1.75 hectares and is located to the northeast of the city centre, within walking distance from Eyre Square and the Headford Road area.

The Land Development Agency has advised my Department they have reached an agreement with Galway City Council who own the lands, to progress with a residential led development at this site.

Following the most recent draft city development plan, the Land Development Agency is advancing the procurement of a professional design team to progress a phased planning application for the site, which following consultation, will determine the number of residential units and other uses to be accommodated on the site along with a phasing plan. 

The Land Development Agency will be funding professional fees for the planning application stage while the capital delivery budget will be developed as the scheme design progresses. The preliminary programme for the project is based on a planning submission in Q3 2024 with unit delivery subject to a positive planning decision.

In relation to Sandy Road, the Land Development Agency has advised my Department that it is currently preparing a Framework Masterplan to guide the development at this site. The public lands are currently owned by Galway City Council, Galway County Council and the ESB, with the ESB site identified in Housing for All as a site that will transfer to the Land Development Agency at the appropriate time. The Land Development Agency will align with the timetable for the Draft City Development Plan and consult on the Framework Masterplan, in early 2023, following the Plan being made. The procurement of a professional design team will follow this.

The Land Development Agency will formulate budgets driven by the feasibility scheme which would support a planning application in the first instance.