Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 March 2024
635. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the LDA intends to use the Davitt Road site in Drimnagh for housing which was previously earmarked for a primary health care centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12025/24]
View answerThe first Report on Relevant Public Lands published by the LDA in 2023 identified state owned land with potential for housing development in the five cities and five key growth centres. That potential identified is being assessed further in the light of ongoing developments on those sites. Suitable sites for housing development being recommended for transfer to the LDA will be considered by Government in sets, based on highest priority sites and lowest level of site constraints.
Last month, 9 sites were agreed by Government for transfer to the LDA across the cities of Dublin, Cork, Waterford, Limerick and Galway and cumulatively will have the potential to deliver over 3,000 new homes.
Subsequent sets of sites will be considered by Government in due course. These transferred sites will add to the LDA's existing housing delivery pipeline of social and affordable homes. The LDA will publish details of each project on their website, as the sites become active.
As part of the site appraisal process following the publication of the report, my Department, the Department of Health and the HSE held stakeholder engagement discussions regarding the Davitt Road site, its current and future uses, and its suitability for potential use for affordable and social housing. The site was identified as having potential for residential repurposing, or residential use alongside healthcare provision. However the site is currently in active use and not available for transfer or partial transfer to the LDA and decisions regarding its optimal future use will be made in due course.
I note that the LDA is actively developing and delivering large scale schemes of affordable and social homes on State lands in other areas of Dublin City. For example the LDA has received planning permission for 543 new homes for the Donore project at the site of the former St Teresa’s Gardens, Dublin 8, which is a partnership with Dublin City Council.
The LDA is also partnering with Dublin City Council on the delivery of 146 new affordable homes at Cromcastle, Dublin 5. Planning permission has been secured for 133 cost rental and 13 social homes on the site.
The LDA and Dublin City Council have announced a new development of over 1,100 homes at Cherry Orchard Point in Dublin, with a proposed mix of cost rental and social homes, along with retail and community space, to be developed on greenfield lands owned by Dublin City Council. A planning application for Phase 1 (708 units) was made to An Bord Pleanála in December 2023.
