Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 March 2021
614. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of affordable homes to purchase funded via the serviced sites fund that he expects to be completed in each of the years 2021 to 2025; and the indicative prices for these properties exclusive of the service sites fund contribution. [14045/21]
View answerTo date, my Department has issued two formal Serviced Sites Fund (SSF) calls for proposals to local authorities. Funding of almost €188 million has been approved in principle in support of 38 infrastructure projects in 14 local authority areas, which will assist in the delivery of almost 4,000 more affordable homes. Under proposals as they stand, approximately 3,300 of these homes will be affordable purchase and the remainder will be Cost Rental.
Details of 35 SSF projects which received approval in principle under the two SSF calls are available on the Rebuilding Ireland's website as follows;
Call 1 https://rebuildingireland.ie/news/minister-murphy-gives-the-go-ahead-for-ten-local-authority-sites-for-affordable-housing-under-the-serviced-sites-fund/
Call 2 https://rebuildingireland.ie/news/minister-murphy-approves-funding-of-e84m-to-support-delivery-of-1770-affordable-homes-under-the-ssf/
In addition to these projects, approval in principle has also been given to three further applications for SSF funding, namely, Dublin City Council’s projects in Emmet Road and Oscar Traynor Road and Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council’s project in Shanganagh. It should be noted that SSF Approval in Principle is granted to local authority applications to fund facilitating infrastructure to allow the delivery of more affordable homes on its sites. In the main, following the Department’s approval in principle to grant fund these projects at the initial concept stage, local authorities then begin the process of detailed design, local consultation, the planning process and procurement. Thereafter, the nature and scale of the projects will generally evolve. This will invariably lead to updates in areas for example in the infrastructure specification, the SSF funding made available, the final number and type of homes that will be developed and the schedule for delivery. The majority of SSF projects are currently in this process.
As the Deputy will appreciate, the current Covid pandemic is impacting on the projected timelines for local authorities, due to the closure of the construction sector.
Given that in the majority of cases the detailed design, planning and construction procurement processes have yet to be completed and as the open market value of homes cannot be ascertained until the homes are made available at the time of sale, it is not possible to confirm the ultimate final cost reduction or selling price in a future housing market. However, based on indicative purchase prices provided by Fingal County Council for one of the first SSF projects which will deliver affordable purchase homes in Dun Emer, Lusk, the homes will be in the range of €166,000 for a two bed apartment and between €206,000 and €258,000 for a range of 3 bed duplexes, terraced and semi-detached houses.
