Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 31 May 2018
241. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of housing schemes bought by charitable organisations (details supplied) in each district in County Wexford; the unit cost per house; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23998/18]
View answerIt is recognised that Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) make an important contribution in social housing delivery, building on their track record in terms of both housing provision and management. Last year, the AHB sector delivered over 2,000 additional units for social housing use across the country and there is a strong delivery pipeline for 2018. This demonstrates the sector’s commitment to work in partnership with local authorities to deliver the Government's ambitious targets set out in Rebuilding Ireland.
Through local authorities, AHBs can access a range of funding streams to assist with the delivery of social housing, for example the Capital Advance Leasing Facility (CALF) with a Payment and Availability Agreement (P&A) or the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS). All funding schemes seek to secure value for money for the Exchequer and the highest quality social housing home for those on local authorities' waiting lists, including by ensuring that the local authority is fully supportive and approves of the project, necessity for independent valuations and a separate independent financial appraisal in the case of CALF proposals.
AHBs, with the assistance of local authorities, are securing single and multiple new build properties on a turnkey basis from developers. Similarily, where it is value for money to do so, AHBs will purchase vacant existing properities, on the basis that such a purchase does not interefere with the local market. In all cases, such purchases must be supported by the local authority and represent value for money in the context of local housing need.
The following tables provide information specifically on the AHB turnkey and acquisition projects comprising multiple units in one development, which were delivered through AHBs in the administrative area of Wexford County Council for 2016 and 2017. The capital costings of the units are averaged as a development could include a mix of unit type and size, e.g. two or three bed units, which are priced differently:
Table 1 - AHB Turnkeys - construction projects on private land
|
AHB |
Nr. of projects |
Total number of units |
Average Capital cost of unit |
Year of delivery |
|
CHI^ |
1 |
12 |
€106,000 |
2016 |
|
CHI |
1* (Phases 1 & 2 ) |
18 |
€175,710 |
2016 |
|
CHI |
1* (Phase 3) |
20 |
€175,710 |
2017 |
|
Tuath |
1 |
11 (6 are Part V) |
€204,825 |
2017 |
*One project with phased delivery
^Co-operative Housing Ireland
Table 2 - AHB Acquisitions (of existing built units)
|
AHB |
Total nr. of units |
Average Capital cost of unit |
Year of delivery |
|
Camphill |
3 |
€135,333 |
2016 |
|
Cluid |
19 |
€77,421 |
2016 |
|
CHI |
4 |
€76,032 |
2016 |
|
CHI |
2 |
€160,000 |
2017 |
|
CHI |
2 |
€75,000 |
2017 |
