Affordable Housing

Diaspora

State to announce 3,000 low-cost homes

Plans for the provision of up to 3,000 affordable homes on hundreds of acres of rezoned land in the greater Dublin area are due to be announced shortly by the Government, writes Carl O'Brien, Social Affairs Correspondent.

A State body, the Affordable Homes Partnership, has been in discussion with builders and developers on the delivery of affordable housing on 370 acres of land on more than a dozen sites in the greater Dublin area.


Most of the land at the centre of negotiations is not zoned for residential housing.

This would change, however, if the partnership successfully advises local authorities to amend their development plans and pave the way for rezoning.

The houses are due to be built in prime areas such as Blackrock and Killiney, along with Blanchardstown, Templeogue, Sutton in Co Dublin, Greystones in Co Wicklow, and Co Kildare.

The plots vary in size from one acre to 60 acres.

Minister for the Environment Dick Roche is expected to announce shortly the first of the housing deals which has been concluded in recent days with developers.

The homes will be sold at about 25 per cent below their normal market-value.

A second land swap to be completed shortly will involve State land on Harcourt Terrace.

Minister of State with responsibility for housing Noel Ahern said the proportion of affordable housing under construction was growing each year.

However, the Government's decision to dilute Part V of the Planning Act - which provided for up to 20 per cent social or affordable housing in new developments - has come in for strong Opposition criticism.

Last year, for example, a record 81,000 housing units were completed. Of this, just 1,371 were provided under Part V.

When other affordable schemes were taken into account, the number of affordable dwellings provided increased to 2,900.

Promises promises and more promises whilst the 20% promise made 6 years ago has delivered less than 1.5% of the 20% promised.

The fact is that state lands are being disposed of off market without market scrutiny and wholesale rezonings are proposed in the most inappropriate locations imaginable.

I propose that the first peice of legislation to be tabled by the new administration be called the 'Ballybrit Act' and that it ban all temporary structures from Galway Race Course on a permanent basis.

murphaph

If the developers are in favour of it it's unlikely to be in the public interest. Anyway, since when is 80% of a very expensive house 'affordable'? :rolleyes:

lostexpectation

what exactly is at the piece of d4 land now?

i wonder what profit the developer is going to make out of this?

Malone

I bought a affordable home two and a half years ago,my mortgage is nearly one thousand euro a month.Not very affordable.