Project to open up local landbank for housing 

FINGAL County Council said it expects to move forward with its second project funded under the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) scheme in early 2019 in order to open up a landbank to the west of Swords for further housing.

The local authority is hoping to move forward with plans for road infrastructure at Oldtown-Mooretown, just off the Rathbeale Road, shortly. A new school is due to open on the site in September.

Speaking about the Swords project, Director of Planning and Strategic Infrastructure AnnMarie Farrelly said the site will ultimately deliver 3,400 homes.

“There’s around 400 houses completed and occupied to date,” said Ms Farrelly.  It’s a very busy site and housing continues to be constructed there and delivered month on month.”

And with a new secondary school expected to open there in September, Ms Farrelly said this was really good news for the west of Swords. 

“The area needs a new school and infrastructure is needed to service the land where it is located,” she said. 

“The developer is constructing the internal roads that will ultimately provide access to the new school.”

The development of the Donabate Distributor Road was the first project under the LIHAF banner to get underway in 2017, and with work progressing this year, it is expected to be completed on target in 2019.

“The completion of the Donabate Distributor Road is very much on target to be completed by next summer,” said Ms Farrelly.

“ I was delighted to see the new bridge going as it is real evidence of the function of the road as the new way into Donabate.

“The Donabate Distributor Road is really important as it delivers alternative access into Donabate as well as opening up lands for the delivery of housing over the next decade or so.”

Meanwhile, work is also continuing to progress the Stapolin lands in Baldoyle, which was the third project granted funding under LIHAF.

Work is progressing on the Compulsory Purchase of lands at the Hole in the Wall Road. An application has been submitted to An Bord Pleanala and a decision is awaited.

Furthermore, Fingal County Council will begin a masterplan for the lands at Baldoyle which will deliver housing solutions for the site.

Ms Farrelly explained that there is planning permission on the site, which is owned by a private developer, for 500 units. 

“Construction hasn’t started yet but we are looking forward to it starting soon,” she added.