Dublin City Council has launched a new initiative aimed at accelerating the delivery of large-scale housing developments across the capital.
The local authority this week published a tender seeking proposals from private developers and landowners interested in partnering with the council to deliver mixed-tenure housing schemes throughout the city.
Under the initiative, each proposed development must include a minimum of 100 social housing units and is expected to incorporate a mix of housing types including affordable purchase homes, cost rental accommodation and private housing.
The first phase of the programme will focus on sites that already have planning permission in place.
Developments may also include community or cultural facilities where required under Dublin City Council’s Development Plan.
The council said further competitions will be launched later this year for sites that do not yet have planning permission.
The move forms part of the council’s wider efforts to increase housing supply and meet growing demand across the city.
According to Dublin City Council, more than 100 housing projects are already progressing on council-owned lands, with the potential to deliver approximately 12,000 social and affordable homes.
However, council officials say additional partnerships with the private sector will be needed to increase the pace of delivery.
Lord Mayor Councillor Ray McAdam said: “The future success of Dublin depends on our ability to deliver high quality homes at scale for the people who want to live, work and raise families in our capital city.
“Dublin City Council is already progressing more than 100 housing projects with the potential to deliver approximately 12,000 new social and affordable homes on Council owned lands, but we need to go further and faster.
“This new partnership approach is an important step towards accelerating housing delivery across Dublin by working with developers and landowners to create sustainable mixed tenure communities with the social, affordable, cost rental and private homes our city urgently needs.
“Creating an active city, a living city and an engaged city depends on ensuring Dublin remains a place where people can continue to build their lives and futures.”
Housing and Social Inclusion SPC Chair Cllr Deirdre Heney said the initiative would allow private landowners and developers to work directly with the council on delivering new homes.
“This Call for Housing is an innovative approach that we are now launching. It gives private landowners and developers the opportunity to work directly with the City Council to deliver social and affordable homes on their land in line with specific criteria set by Dublin City.
“We see this as an opportunity to get more homes built,” she said.
Assistant Chief Executive Mick Mulhern said strong interest had already been shown by developers, landowners and contractors during an earlier market engagement process.
“We started market engagement on our Call for Housing earlier this year and have been encouraged by the strong interest shown by private landowners, developers and contractors who see the opportunity to work with Dublin City Council to deliver much needed new social and affordable homes.
“We have listened to feedback provided to date and we believe we are now launching a procurement process that will secure delivery of new homes.
“It is expected that a shortlisting process will be undertaken in the coming months with the award of partnership agreements anticipated by the end of the year.”
The council said the initiative is designed to support housing delivery targets up to 2030 while ensuring developments meet planning and design standards set out by both Dublin City Council and the Department of Housing.