The Land Development Agency (LDA), in partnership with Limerick City and County Council, CIÉ and the HSE, has commissioned a Design Review for the redevelopment of a brownfield mixed-use 75 hectare site at Colbert Station, Limerick. The exact housing mix will not be determined until the design of the site is fully completed. Alongside the establishment of the LDA in September 2018, the Government approved a new public land affordability requirement. Under this requirement, a minimum of 30% of any housing developed on State-owned lands must be reserved for affordable housing purposes, in addition to the 10% statutory social housing requirement under Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000.
On the basis of information provided by the LDA to my Department, I can indicate that the project is currently in phase 1. As such, no financial planning for phase 2 has been undertaken as of yet as this is largely contingent on the results presented by the design review in phase 1.
The commissioning of architectural or other expertise in relation to individual projects is a matter for the LDA itself. In that context, as is the case with all State bodies operating under the aegis of my Department, arrangements have been put in place by the LDA through which Oireachtas members can request information directly from the Agency in relation to operational matters. In this regard, the LDA may be contacted directly at oireachtas@lda.ie.