Latest news with #LandDevelopmentAgency
BreakingNews.ie
2 days ago
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
LDA acquires Dublin 18 site with potential for over 350 homes
The Land Development Agency have acquired a site in Cherrywood, Dublin 18, with the potential for more than 350 homes. The 4.73-hectare site is located at Lehaunstown Lane, next to a roughly 12-hectare site purchased by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council in 2024. Advertisement The combined sites have capacity for more than 700 homes along with associated amenities and facilities. Design and planning work is to begin immediately, and subject to planning permission and required enabling infrastructure delivery, construction could begin in 2028. The site was acquired from a private seller as part of the LDA's private site acquisition initiative, wherein the LDA targets the purchase of privately-owned sites with significant housing potential to add to its landbank of State-owned land and Local Authority partnership sites. The agency's acquisitions to date include land in Clongriffin and Baldoyle in North Dublin as well as the Royal Liver site on the Naas Road in Dublin 12. Advertisement Combined with the new Cherrywood site, they have the potential to deliver almost 6,500 new homes, according to the LDA. The Cherrywood area has undergone some redevelopment in recent years, with the construction of new housing and apartment schemes, retail and commercial blocks, as well as parks and amenities including Tully Park, Beckett Park and Ticknock Park. The amenities are supported by public transport and road links into Dublin city centre, as well as the Sandyford Business District, Dundrum Town Centre, University College Dublin (UCD), St. Columcille's Hospital, the Beacon Hospital, and Cherrywood Business Park. The Lehaunstown Green Luas stop is located just 150 metres from the site, the LDA added, and it is close to the M50 and Leopardstown Racecourse. Advertisement An agreement was recently announced between the LDA and Horse Racing Ireland, which will provide for the future development of around 800 homes, while facilitating further development of the racecourse and its facilities. The planned Leopardstown development is to activate the existing, but unused, Leopardstown Luas stop, the agency said. John Coleman, chief executive of the LDA, said that the acquisition of the Cherrywood site beside the land owned by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council will provide 'an ideal opportunity for two state bodies to collaborate to deliver affordable and social homes'. 'This acquisition will allow the LDA and DLR to deliver approximately 700 homes within walking distance of light rail stations, as well as significantly enhancing the local road network. We look forward to consulting with the local community and key stakeholders to design and develop a new neighbourhood,' Mr Coleman said.
Irish Independent
19-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Dublin Port Company paid city council €1.7m in vacant site levy on land valued at €4m
The property, which was valued at €4m in 2019, was added to the vacant site register of Dublin City Council in 2018. The city council looked for payments of €280,000 for each year that the land remained vacant. Dublin Port Company appealed that decision but were unsuccessful. The company has since paid a total of €1.68m to the council and said they were now hoping to dispose of the site as it was remote from the port and not of core use. Dublin Port Company said they had at one stage been in discussions with the Land Development Agency about using it for residential use. However, plans for its sale fell through when the zoning of the site – which is next to the Dublin Port Tunnel control building – was changed. In discussions with Dublin City Council last year, the port company asked if the money paid could be used for a greenway project nearby. They suggested it be allocated to the Liffey Tolka Project, which will create a 'new boulevard' between the estuary of the Tolka River and the Liffey. A letter to the council said: 'The project will mitigate against the existing harsh landscape of East Wall Road and create a safe pedestrian and cycle route away from the main traffic movements.' They said it would also provide a route for communications and power cabling, as well as connecting two already existing cycleways. A letter said: 'Dublin Port Company will be ceding several metres of its frontage to this greenway. This project will have significant community gain, and it will be a project that will positively impact on all users of the East Wall Road.' However, Dublin City Council said they could give no assurances on how the funds would be used and were currently developing a policy on what to do with the vacant site levy. ADVERTISEMENT The council said they would be open to discussions on the Liffey Tolka Project – but that it would have to be the subject of a legal agreement. The documents were released following a request under the Access to Information on the Environment (AIE) Regulations. Being remote from the port, the site is not core to port use Dublin Port Company had originally argued that the correspondence was not 'environmental information', but following an appeal they were told to release the records by the Commissioner for Environmental Information. A statement from the Dublin Port Company said: '[We were] in discussions with the Land Development Agency about the Polefield site near the Port Tunnel between 2019 and 2022 regarding its potential redevelopment for residential use. 'However, due to a change in the zoning, the sale could no longer proceed. The port challenged the Vacant Site Levy decision in relation to the site and the decision was upheld on appeal. 'The port subsequently made a payment of €1.68m to Dublin City Council in 2024. Being remote from the port, the site is not core to port use, and DPC is open to disposal of it.'
Irish Times
18-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Dublin Port Company pays almost €1.7m in vacant site levy
The Dublin Port Company has paid almost €1.7 million in a vacant site levy for an empty piece of land in its portfolio. The property, which was valued at €4 million in 2019, was added to the vacant site register of Dublin City Council in 2018. The city council looked for payments of €280,000 for each year that the land remained vacant. Dublin Port Company appealed that decision but was unsuccessful. The company has since paid a total of €1.68 million to the council and said it was now hoping to dispose of the site as it was remote from the port and not of core use. Dublin Port Company said had at one stage been in discussions with the Land Development Agency about using it for residential use. However, plans for its sale fell through when the zoning of the site – which is next to the Dublin Port Tunnel control building – was changed. In discussions with Dublin City Council last year, the port company also asked if the money paid could be used for a greenway project nearby. The company suggested it be allocated to the Liffey Tolka project which will create a 'new boulevard' between the estuary of the Tolka River and the Liffey. READ MORE A letter to the council said: 'The project will mitigate against the existing harsh landscape of East Wall Road and create a safe pedestrian and cycle route away from the main traffic movements.' It would also provide a route for communications and power cabling as well as connecting two existing cycleways, the letter said. Will rent reform make building apartments viable? Listen | 40:12 'Dublin Port Company will be ceding several metres of its frontage to this greenway. This project will have significant community gain, and it will be a project that will positively impact on all users of the East Wall Road,' the letter said. However, Dublin City Council said they could give no assurances on how the funds would be used and they were currently developing a policy on what to do with the vacant site levy. The council said it would be open to discussions on the Liffey Tolka Project but that it would have to be the subject of a legal agreement. The documents were released following a request under the Access to Information on the Environment (AIE) Regulations. Dublin Port Company had originally argued that the correspondence was not 'environmental information' but following an appeal were told to release the records by the Commissioner for Environmental Information. A statement from the Dublin Port Company said: '[We were] in discussions with the Land Development Agency about the Polefield site near the port tunnel between 2019 and 2022 regarding its potential redevelopment for residential use.' 'However, due to a change in the zoning, the sale could no longer proceed. The port challenged the vacant site levy decision in relation to the site and the decision was upheld on appeal.' 'The port subsequently made a payment of €1.68 million to Dublin City Council in 2024. Being remote from the port, the site is not core to port use, and DPC is open to disposal of it.'
The Irish Sun
17-06-2025
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
‘I'm treating housing crisis as emergency', insists Minister as he slams ‘weaponised' blockages for home building delays
HOUSING Minister James Browne has promised that he is 'treating the housing crisis as an emergency' as he vented his fury at the blockages that are preventing homes being built in Ireland. The Advertisement 1 Minister Browne said he is treating the housing crisis as an emergency Credit: COLLINS PHOTO 2025 The Cabinet signed off on emergency legislation to Ministers also gave the green light to a plan to give the Land Development Agency more powers to purchase and build Former This new look planning authority will be given the power to deal with applications faster as the Government looks to remove blockages that see people go to the Advertisement READ MORE IN IRISH NEWS Housing Minister James Browne today told the Irish Sun that people with no interest in winning a court case were weaponising the system simply to delay or frustrate developments. He said: 'There are frustrations in looking at how we get from 30,000 to 50,000 and 60,000 homes per year and issues around our courts. 'They have been weaponised by people who have little or no interest in terms of property or even winning their case – simply that they could hold the process up in courts long enough. 'That is why we're addressing the judicial review piece. Advertisement Most read in The Irish Sun 'We have planners that are under huge pressure in terms of what they are turning over in planning applications and that's why we're using the exemptions piece to free up the 'There are a number of other frustrations that I am working through piece by piece to see what we can do to simplify and standardise everything and get to that point then where we have certainty from the minute somebody decides they want to deliver homes for people to those keys being handed over to those Martin vows to do 'everything we can' to reduce pressure on families ahead of Budget 2026 'The process can only go as quick as the slowest part of it so that's why I'm going through each point step by step.' The Minister promised that there would be 'significant announcements' to be made in the coming weeks on housing as he promised the public: 'I am treating the housing crisis as an emergency.' Advertisement
Irish Independent
17-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Judicial review into Central Mental Hospital housing development added €30m in costs and delayed project by two years
On Tuesday, representatives from the Land Development Agency (LDA) and the Housing Agency were before the Oireachtas Housing Committee. In May 2023, the LDA was granted permission to develop the site in Dublin for the construction of 852 homes on the the 34-acre site. However, the scheme was delayed because of a single objector who lodged a judicial review against An Bord Pleanála for granting permission. In September 2024, the LDA submitted updated plans for the site, which will be renamed Dublin Central, for construction of nearly 1,000 homes on the site. The new plans would see 940 apartments, 17 duplexes, and 20 houses, with building heights ranging from two to seven storeys. Asked by Fianna Fáil TD, Seamus McGrath, how much the judicial review on the site has cost, John Coleman, Chief Executive of the LDA, said the delay has resulted in an €30m in additional delivery costs. 'The impact of the delay, of the challenge, has been to add at least €30m onto the estimated delivery cost of that scheme,' Mr Coleman told the committee. Mr Coleman said that the matter was not yet concluded, and they are waiting on a final decision on the planning application. "We're not out of the woods yet. We haven't got a positive planning decision. We don't know whether we'll get a further challenge, but that's the impact,' Mr Coleman said. Judicial reviews are one of the key risks of development, Mr Coleman told the committee and said it has delayed homes for thousands of people in Dundrum. ADVERTISEMENT The LDA chief added that he hoped a final decision would be received in the coming months. 'In relation to judicial reviews, yes, it's a risk, and unfortunately, we have received a judicial review challenge in relation to the planning permission that we have for a large site in South Dublin, Dundrum,' Mr Coleman said. 'The issue for us is obviously not being able to get on with the development of that site. We have a revised planning application that has been lodged for nearly 1,000 homes, and we hope to get a decision on that in the very near future, within the next couple of months. 'The problem is it has delayed delivery of the homes. Those 1000 homes will accommodate approximately 2,500 people. Meanwhile, the chief executive of the Housing Agency, Martin Whelan told the committee that there has been a 'near collapse' of inward investment in the housing market. 'We have seen a near collapse in inward investment into the Irish housing system over the last year, year and a half. That's pronounced in two areas,' Mr Whelan said. In particular, Mr Whelan said the requirements around equity financing is a 'major challenge'. Currently builders are required to pay 25 to 30pc of the cost of a development upfront. This money is then held up for several years until the development is complicated or sold. 'It's a particular challenge given that there is a higher equity requirement in relation to apartment development, and the shortage of that financing is an issue,' Mr Whelan said.
