Over 80,000 homes could be built in Dublin if €240m spent on infrastructure

More than 80,000 new homes could be built in Dublin on land that has been prioritised for residential development by the four local authorities, according to a report to be presented to Cabinet in the new year.

It is estimated that more than €240 million would have to be invested in infrastructure, however, to bring about 60 per cent of the houses into use. Much of the infrastructure required is under the control of Irish Water.

Last June the Dublin housing supply taskforce, set up under the Government’s Construction 2020 strategy, identified enough zoned land in Dublin for more than 46,000 new homes, 18,000 of which had planning permission.

These lands were serviced by infrastructure such as water, sewerage, roads and other transport links or had the potential to have these services installed easily and would, if developed, provide enough homes to meet demand for the next six years.

Infrastructure

The taskforce, which includes representatives of Nama, and the four local authorities, has since embarked on more in-depth research to assess the potential of land that, although zoned for residential development, has infrastructure deficits such as a lack of roads. The report is due to be delivered to the Government early next year.

While the first study looked at all land in the city and county that could be developed without the need for major infrastructure, the new analysis focuses on Residential Priority Areas, lands targeted for rapid development because of their proximity to existing communities or urban areas, or their strategic importance in development plans, regardless of whether they have the services to support housing.

Priority lands

More than 80,000 houses or apartments could be provided on these priority lands, but about 50,000 of these would be on land with infrastructure deficits. The cost of services needed on these lands is in excess of what could be provided by development levies, and it is estimated that addressing these deficits would cost in the region €240 million.

Almost half of the units constrained by the lack of infrastructure are in Fingal in north Dublin. Just over 24,000 homes could be built in the Fingal County Council area if more than €80 million was spent on services.

The local authority area that could accommodate the next largest number of homes is Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, where 17,000 homes could be built. However it could cost €90 million to bring these lands into use.

In Dublin city’s priority development areas there is the potential for 5,400 homes, but the infrastructure cost is again high at about €6 million. South Dublin County Council has the potential for about 2,000 units, but there the cost of infrastructure required is low, at about €5 million.