Delivery of housing on land banks under State ownership through the Land Development Agency (LDA) is a key area of increasing output across Fingal and a site in Balbriggan could be among the first in the country to be progressed. Two sites, one in Castlelands in Balbriggan and the other, Hackettstown in Skerries, will be developed to provide successful and sustainable communities through the provision of high quality and attractive residential developments.

Officials from Fingal County Council’s Planning and Strategic Infrastructure Department, along with colleagues from the Housing Department, have been meeting with the Land Development Agency to progress the delivery of housing on the site.

Director of Planning and Strategic Infrastructure AnnMarie Farrelly said the Development Plan requires a masterplan of lands at Castlelands in advance of any building.

“We are moving towards publishing that masterplan in February and this will facilitate 800 to 1,000 units on the site.”

She added:

“The LDA, I understand, are ready to move on this as one of their first projects. It is dependent on the delivery of a new road on that land. Preparation of the masterplan is well underway and we will be consulting on that early in 2019.”

Meanwhile, Fingal County Council is spearheading the delivery of housing on land under its ownership at Donabate, Church Fields in Dublin 15 and Cappagh Finn in Dublin 11 through its Project Talamh office.

“The development of council-owned lands is really important in terms of delivering houses for the county, but also for the delivery of sustainable communities.” In order to develop a good land use planning structure, Project Talamh, an internal office to co-ordinate and manage the development of these lands which will accommodate a mix of private and public housing, was established.

“We want to make sure we deliver the right type of housing and the right facilities such as schools, playing facilities and recreational areas. These key facilities must be delivered in tandem with the housing.” In relation to Donabate, Ms Farrelly said the first step of this process was the construction of the Donabate Distributor Road, which is currently underway and due for completion this year.

Fingal County Council is now looking to procure a partner in the private sector to deliver these lands. “We want to deliver affordable housing as well as social housing and private housing to ensure that people have a choice in Donabate. People may want to upsize or downsize and we will offer a choice of housing type and tenure in an area which is well serviced and will deliver a sustainable community.”

“The procurement process takes some time but over 2019 we will work through that process to select a preferred bidder to develop the site.”

View related stories here

Watch the video below of an interview with Director of Planning and Strategic Infrastructure AnnMarie Farrelly: