Enough zoned land in Dublin for 46,000 houses

Dublin has enough zoned land for more than 46,000 new homes, according to a taskforce set up under the Government’s Construction 2020 strategy.

The housing supply taskforce for Dublin has identified enough development-ready land across the four Dublin local authorities to provide new homes to meet demand for the next six years.

However, up to June of this year only 11 planning applications for housing estates – developments of more than 20 units – have been granted in all of Dublin city and county.

ESRI warnings

The figures come amid warnings this week from the Economic and Social Research Institute that 54,000 new homes need to be built in Dublin over the next seven years, and a response from the Construction Industry Federation that only 2,000 will be built this year.

Lands identified by the taskforce, which includes representation of the local authorities and Nama, have been zoned for residential use and are serviced by infrastructure such as water, sewerage, roads and other transport links or have the potential to have these services easily developed.

Planning permission has already been granted for more than 18,000 homes – 11,000 houses and 7,000 apartments – which remain unbuilt. Applications for a further 1,860 houses and 806 apartments are currently being processed, leaving more than 25,000 homes which could be built on zoned lands.

Planning permissions could be processed for these landbanks from next year. Other land zoned for housing under Dublin city and county development plans, currently without the infrastructure capable of supporting houses, will need to be assessed to meet housing needs from 2020 onwards.

Almost half the zoned land is to the north of the capital in Fingal, which has the potential to provide more than 21,000 homes when units already having permission are included. Dublin City and South Dublin could each deliver 9,000-9,500, while Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown has existing permission and enough usable land for just over 6,000 homes.

The 11 housing estates granted permission so far this year would, if built, provide 664 homes. The majority of new homes in the capital will be houses. Fingal, which has the greatest potential for development, is not currently considering any applications for apartments.