Southeast Dublin ‘needs 3,300 houses a year until 2022’

Southeast Dublin needs to return to boom-style housing output to meet population forecasts over the next six years, according to a new report from Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.

The Private and Public Housing Supply Report published on Tuesday details a need for 3,300 private and social houses to be built each year until 2022– almost 250 more each year than the peak housing output in 2007.

The council is also well on track to deliver on its Government-directed target of 681 social homes by 2017 according to a briefing given to councillors.

Councillors were told Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and the Cosgrave Property Group had signed a deal for the provision of 124 social housing units worth an estimated €37 million.

The new homes are to be provided on phase two of the development of the former Dún Laoghaire golf club. The new homes are to be built on the northern side of Glenageary Road Upper. The homes will range from one-bedroom to three-bedroom units.

Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Cllr Cormac Devlin, signed the agreement between Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and the Cosgrave Property Group on Monday.

“Housing provision is one of the most pressing issues facing public representatives and local authorities,” he said.

Mr Devlin said the council also had about 100 social homes currently under or ready for construction which would be delivered by the end of 2017. These were he said homes which the council would directly provide, while others would come through further deals with builders, approved housing bodies, purchase and leasing as well as rent assistance schemes.

The housing report said the average monthly rent for a three-bed house in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown in June was €2,291. The average purchase price of a three-bedroom house was €459,000 based on properties sold from January-May 2016.