Almost 600 social and affordable houses given green light in Dublin

A State-backed project to build almost 600 social and affordable homes in Shankill, Co Dublin has received the green light from An Bord Pleanála.

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown (DLR) County Council and the State-sponsored Land Development Agency (LDA) received permission for the development of 597 new homes at Shanganagh, Co Dublin. The development is the Republic's largest proposed social and affordable scheme to receive planning permission.

Two-thirds of the development will be allocated as affordable homes to rent or purchase while the remainder will be used for social housing purposes. The affordable rental homes will be provided through a cost-rental model with long-term security of tenure.

Site

The site, about a 10-minute walk from a proposed Dart station at Woodbrook, will have 546 apartments and 51 houses. There will be space to park 365 cars and more than 1,300 bicycles.

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"This major planning approval is a testament to the close partnership that the council and the LDA have developed over the past 18 months. It proves the value of the LDA working closely with local authority partners, which provides new ways of delivering new affordable homes on council land," said LDA chief executive John Coleman.

The LDA was established in 2018 with the purpose of opening up State-owned land for development. The Government has committed to capitalising it with €1.25 billion and the agency intends to deliver more than 4,000 homes as it stands.

The site sits on about 9 hectares (22 acres) and the developers have designed the properties to “passive house” low-energy usage standards. The development will offer a mix of accommodation suitable for larger and smaller families and couples and single people, according to the council and the LDA.

Housing

"This planning grant is one of the most significant steps forward in delivery of housing in DLR and it underlines the council's commitment to delivering affordable homes for people at all income levels," said Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council chief executive Philomena Poole.

The site will have a creche, cafe, shop, gym, play areas and communal lounge areas. There will also be business “bods” and co-working units on site to assist residents to work from home.

Construction is expected to start on the site in the first half of next year, pending Government approval.