The Land Development Agency and Dublin City Council are launching a process of engagement with residents, community groups and businesses in Dublin 12 to inform the design of a new social and affordable housing development in the area.
The Bluebell Waterways Project, located at the former filter bed complex next to the Grand Canal 5th Lock, aims to provide between 360-410 new high-quality, low-energy social and affordable cost rental homes, and will build upon the community’s vision document - Framework for Renewal 2019. Bluebell Waterways plans to deliver central community spaces for social, arts and cultural use, alongside long-established services, while creating a safe and well-connected environment for new opportunities to emerge in the area.
Dublin City Council will offer new sustainable social homes to residents of the Bluebell maisonettes and to those on the housing waiting list. Cost rental homes will offer long-term rental accommodation at discounted market rates and will be managed by the LDA.
The LDA and DCC want to ensure the preservation of the social and historical fabric of the area as they develop their plans, and are inviting local residents, community groups and businesses to contribute to the design process. A new website has been launched, which outlines the initial design plan, with a series of workshops and meetings planned over the coming weeks. People can submit ideas and feedback via email, dedicated phoneline or during organised engagement meetings.
Phelim O’Neill, Head of Property at the Land Development Agency said:
“The LDA understands the value and importance of hearing from the local community in Bluebell as the Agency, alongside Dublin City Council, endeavours to design a much needed social and affordable homes development for the area.
“The residents of Dublin 12 are the lifeblood of the community and will play an integral role in the shaping of this project. I look forward to engaging with them so that together we can create an inclusive, sustainable and well-connected development that serves everyone”.
Dave Dinnigan, Director of Housing Delivery at Dublin City Council added:
“Bluebell Waterways provides an opportunity for DCC, in partnership with the LDA, to breathe new life back into Dublin 12. This proposed site is perfectly positioned to take advantage of the local transport links and future greenway plans to regenerate the area through community spaces and new amenities.“Active community engagement will be critical to the success of this project, and I am encouraging residents and local groups to participate in the process”.
This initial communication phase is being undertaken jointly by the Land Development Agency and Dublin City Council. A full consultation and display of plans will follow at the end of March.
The LDA is the State’s affordable housing delivery body. It is in the process of delivering more than 10,000 homes on State-owned land and over 8,000 through the Government’s Project Tosaigh initiative.
The Agency has existing planning permission for around 6,000 affordable homes on State-owned lands with many projects already under construction and others at advanced planning stage.
In addition to the direct delivery of homes on state-owned or private land, the LDA is overseeing Project Tosaigh, an initiative whereby the agency steps in to purchase stalled or unviable housing projects and then makes the homes available to renters or to buyers at costs significantly below market rents or full market purchase prices. Under this scheme, the LDA is planning to deliver at least 8,000 homes by 2028 with significant numbers of these already delivered.
The LDA produced the Report on Relevant Public Land, which advised the government of the potential to deliver 67,000 homes on 83 underutilised State-owned sites. It also announced plans to purchase private sites with planning permission in the country’s five major cities.
The LDA’s direct delivery projects include the construction of 265 homes at St Kevin’s Hospital in Cork, a former HSE site, and the development of 597 homes in Shanganagh in Dublin in partnership with Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.
It also includes 817 homes at a site at Castlelands in Balbriggan in Dublin, 345 in Hacketstown in Skerries in Dublin, 219 at Devoy Barracks in Naas, Co. Kildare, 852 on the former Central Mental Hospital site in Dundrum, Dublin 14 and 543 at St Teresa’s Gardens in Dublin’s south inner city in partnership with Dublin City Council. The Agency also recently purchased a major site in Clongriffin in Dublin, which has the potential to deliver 2,200 homes.
Project Tosaigh is an LDA initiative, whereby the Agency steps in to kick-start stalled or unviable housing projects and then makes the new homes available to renters on a cost rental basis or to purchasers at an affordable price.
The LDA has already launched a number of Project Tosaigh schemes. They include the release of 142 cost rental homes in Archers Wood in Delgany in Wicklow and 95 homes in Parklands on Fortunestown Lane in Citywest in Dublin.
In January 2024, the LDA announced the release of over 600 homes in four locations including 247 at Barnwell Point Apartments in Hansfield in Dublin 15, 236 at The Quarter in Citywest, 86 in Dun Óir in Kilternan in Dublin and 52 in Harpur Lane in Leixlip, Co Kildare.
The Agency has also launched a number of affordable purchase Project Tosaigh developments. These include the phased launch of 92 homes in Clonmore in Mallow in Cork, 95 in Summerfields in Kilbarry in Waterford and 50 in Baker Hall in Navan.
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