THE delivery of nearly 600 new homes on the Southside has been described as “excellent news” for those hoping to get on the property ladder in 2020.
Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council in partnership with the Land Development Agency (LDA) announced plans to build the 598 new homes at Shanganagh in Shankill late last year.
The council says the partnership will enable them to fast-track the much-needed properties.
This significant development will be one of the first projects to be backed by the LDA, which was established by the Government to unlock State land for new homes and improve the supply of new homes throughout Ireland.
It will include (subject to planning permission and the final decision of the council’s elected members) a total of 307 cost-rental homes, which will offer long-term security of tenure to people who struggle to access homes at affordable levels.
The proposal also includes 200 social homes and 91 affordable purchase homes.
The council says the development is consistent with their ambition to exceed its housing targets while the LDA’s mandate is to deliver new homes on publicly owned land.
The idea is to help address the current sup-ply shortage and to make access to homes more affordable for both buyers and renters.
Some 51 per cent of the proposed development will be devoted to cost rental homes, which is a new form of tenure in Ireland and will result in more affordable rents for households who struggle to pay private rents.
The cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire Rathdown, County Council, Cllr Shay Brennan, said: “This is excellent news for people looking to buy or rent a home in our area.
“It will make a significant contribution to meeting the council’s social housing requirements and will provide an opportunity for people to purchase or rent a home at an affordable cost.
“The development will offer people an attractive place to live that is close to key transport links and supported by a wide range of local amenities.”
He added: “We look forward to continuing to work in partnership with the LDA to complete these homes and have people living in them as soon as possible.”
LDA Chief Executive John Coleman said: “This landmark development for the LDA is the first of many projects in our pipeline.
“It will be one of the largest residential construction projects in Ireland and is a major statement of our intent to help renters, buyers and people in need of social housing with large-scale delivery of high-quality new homes.
He added: “It also points to the effectiveness of the LDA and the potential to work with local authori-ties and other public landowner partners in delivering new homes.”