Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Land Development Agency (LDA) has a major role in the delivery of new homes, particularly on underutilised and vacant State lands. It has two primary housing delivery channels, which are Direct Delivery on State-sourced lands; and Delivery through housebuilder partners, known as ‘Project Tosaigh’. The LDA’s near to medium term delivery pipeline through these delivery channels is in excess of 10,000 homes, with a significant volume for 2023.

Direct Delivery:

The establishing of the LDA allows proactive management of the State’s extensive land bank. Every effort is being made to identify state lands and properties which can be re-purposed to increase the supply of housing over the long-term. Delivering housing on these key sites requires consultation, master planning, development consents, procurement processes, followed by construction time – this is vital work and has unlocked housing delivery on these sites that is now coming to fruition. It is projected by the LDA that state lands development will become the main source of its delivery over the next 5 years as projects achieve planning and construction starts.

The LDA is advancing 14 direct delivery sites with the capacity for 6,500 homes through the development process. The LDA has achieved planning consent for almost 4,000 of these, with the remainder being advanced through the design and planning process. Over 1,000 are under construction currently and tenders are issued or about to be issued for contractors to build the planning approved sites.

In terms of specific projects:

• Construction continues according to plan for the development of 597 new homes at Shanganagh, Co. Dublin, a project being delivered in partnership with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLRCC) to deliver affordable and social homes, with completions commencing next year.
• Works are continuing as planned at St. Kevin’s Hospital in Cork which will deliver 265 homes.
• A building contractor has been appointed to construct Devoy Barracks in Naas, which will deliver 219 homes.
• In 2023, planning permission was granted for sites at Balbriggan (817), Skerries (345), Dundrum Central Mental Hospital Dublin (852 homes), Cromcastle Dublin (c. 145 homes) and St. Teresa’s Gardens Dublin (543 homes). These sites with a combined capacity for 2,700 homes are now being advanced to construction stage.
• A planning application has recently been lodged in relation to Cherry Orchard (over 700 homes), and designs are being drawn up for Bluebell Dublin (c. 400 homes), Dyke Road Galway (c. 200 homes) and Kinsealy Dublin (c. 200 homes).

Work is ongoing to identify other state-owned lands that may be available or under-utilised and suitable for social and affordable housing. The recent statutory Report on Relevant Lands, identified a total of eighty three sites in ten main urban locations (cities and key growth towns). My Department has engaged with all site owners identified in the Report and I expect that further site recommendations for possible transfer will be made to Government.

Project Tosaigh:

As part of Project Tosaigh, the Agency is currently tracking c. 2,500 affordable homes through forward purchase (i.e. payment upon completion). The LDA remains on track to achieve the overall 5,000 homes target for Project Tosaigh.

The LDA, in conjunction with its local authority partners, has placed homes with purchasers under the affordable for sale scheme at Mallow, Co. Cork and Kilbarry, Co. Waterford. The LDA, working with Meath Co. Council, launched an additional affordable for sale scheme in Navan in September 2023.

Tenants have taken occupation in LDA cost rental schemes in Delgany, Co. Wicklow and Citywest, Dublin. Additional schemes are due for release shortly, with a significant confirmed pipeline for 2024 and beyond.

LDA has also commenced a process to establish a panel of delivery partners with the intention scale up and accelerate delivery through this channel. It is anticipated that the panel will be established in early 2024.

The LDA currently have access to €1.25bn of capital from the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) and a further €1.25bn of borrowings as provided for under the LDA Act. Of the €1.25bn available through ISIF, the LDA have to date drawn down €625m of this funding - €100m on establishment, and a further €525m paid over two tranches in H1 2023. The LDA have been approved a further €300m in early November 2023. This leaves a balance of €300m to be drawn down as required, and it is projected by the LDA that this will be committed by Q1 2024. The LDA have so far not availed of their borrowing powers.