Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 July 2020
323. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his plans for affordable housing including the cost of an affordable house; if he will provide an update on the plans for Shanganagh Castle site, including details of the cost of the affordable homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14549/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Shanganagh site in is a good example of the type of major social and affordable housing scheme that we need to see built out in Dublin. This type of mixed-tenure major housing development on public land is a major priority for this Government and for myself as Minister.
In January, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLRCC), in partnership with the Land Development Agency, submitted an application for approval to An Bord Pleanála for the development of circa 9.69 hectares of land zoned for residential development within the Woodbrook–Shanganagh Local Area Plan 2017–2023. The proposed development seeks the construction of 597 new homes, crèche facility, local shop and local cafe as well as a number of resident services and amenities. The new homes will be a mix of social housing, cost rental and affordable purchase.
An application was submitted to my Department for the proposed Shanganagh development in early 2019 under the Serviced Site Fund (SSF). Recognising the potential strategic value of the project, the development was deemed a ‘Project of Interest’ at that time and a future application under the SSF is anticipated.
In relation to the future provision of homes for purchase under the Affordable Purchase Scheme, €310 million was made available under the Serviced Sites Fund (SSF) to support the delivery of the homes by local authorities. This fund is intended to sub-vent the cost of facilitating infrastructure and a maximum amount of €50,000 is available per affordable home. On this basis, at least 6,200 more affordable homes, to buy or rent, can be facilitated by this measure alone. This funding is being made available in areas where local authorities have demonstrated a requirement for more affordable housing and the viability to deliver such housing from their sites. To date, funding of €127 million has been approved in principle to provide infrastructural work that will support 35 projects in 14 local authorities, delivering 3,200 homes.
Details of all SSF projects that have received approval in principle under both SSF calls, and the number of more affordable homes whose delivery will be supported by SSF funding are available on the Rebuilding Ireland website at the following links:
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/
The selling price of homes that will be made available for purchase under the affordable dwelling purchase arrangements will be influenced by a number of factors which will vary significantly from individual development to development. This includes the overall development cost of each particular development the housing type/tenure mix involved and the local housing market. The majority of the projects approved for funding under the SSF are at the planning and design stage. As such, the final sales prices will not be fully determined until planning permission has been obtained and after the procurement process for construction of the development in question has been completed.
