The Land Development Agency (LDA) is to launch the application processes for over 600 new cost rental homes in the coming weeks.
The 621 homes are all cost rental apartments and are being delivered through the LDA’s Project Tosaigh initiative. They are being made available across four locations in Dublin and Kildare providing eligible applicants with the opportunity to secure a new home at rents that are at least 25% lower than market rates.
Applications will open for each of the developments soon with the first starting on January 15th. The homes are located in Hansfield in Dublin 15, Citywest in west Dublin, Kilternan in Dublin 18 and Leixlip in Co Kildare. This is the first time that Project Tosaigh homes have been made available in Kildare.
Would-be applicants are advised to familiarise themselves with the eligibility criteria and to prepare the documentation they will need if their application is successful through the lottery process. They are also being advised to closely monitor the LDA’s website to ensure they remain informed of the application process and the exact timings for each application window.
Created under the Affordable Housing Act 2021, cost rental offers a long-term secure rental option at below market rates for would-be tenants who do not qualify for social housing but who cannot access the private market without support. Applicants for cost rental homes must have a net household income of below €66,000 in Dublin and €59,000 outside Dublin.
The details of the cost rental homes being made available are as follows:
- A total of 247 homes at Barnwell Point Apartments in Hansfield in Dublin 15. Rents at this development range from €1,050 for a studio, €1,225 for a 1-bed apartment and €1,400 for a 2-bed apartment. An initial application process will open on Thursday, January 18th and close on Thursday, January 25th
- A total of 236 apartments at The Quarter in Citywest in west Dublin with rents of €1,390 for a 1-bed, €1,580 for a 2-bed and €1,750 for a 3-bed. Applications open on Wednesday, January 24th and close on Wednesday, January 31st.
- A total of 52 apartments in Harpur Lane in Leixlip, Co Kildare. Rents at Harpur Lane are €1,357 for a one-bed and €1,585 for a two-bed. An initial application process opens on Monday, January 15th and runs for a week to Monday, January 22nd.
- A total of 86 apartments in Dun Óir in Kilternan in Dublin with rents of €1,300 for a one-bed apartment and €1,450 for a two-bed. The application date and process for this development will be announced on the LDA’s website in the coming weeks.
In addition, the LDA is also launching another phase of 15 cost rental homes from an existing development at Parklands in Citywest with the application process for this Project Tosaigh development opening today, Wednesday, January 10th, and running for a week. The homes at Parklands are houses with rents of €1,350 for a 3-bed house and €1,450 or €1,460 for a 4-bed house depending on house type.
Project Tosaigh is a Government initiative being delivered by the LDA in which the Agency steps in to kickstart construction and partner with developers on stalled or unviable developments and then makes the homes available as either cost rental or for purchase through a shared equity scheme. All of the homes being launched in the coming weeks are cost rental.
John Coleman, Chief Executive of the LDA said: “This is a great start to the year for the LDA and a major announcement on the provision of cost rental housing. In total, the LDA is making over 600 homes available to rent in superb locations at reduced rates for eligible candidates. Our new tenants in Dublin and Kildare will enjoy affordable rents and security of tenure. They will also live in well-connected and A-rated homes where they will have the opportunity to become part of and enrich new and existing sustainable communities.
“Under Project Tosaigh, the LDA is delivering over 5,000 homes by 2026. This is in addition to the 10,000 we are in the process of developing directly on state-owned or acquired land. Project Tosaigh is an excellent and well-funded initiative which allows the LDA to partner with developers to ensure delayed or otherwise unviable projects are completed and the homes are made available to tenants and purchasers at affordable rates.”
About the new LDA cost rental developments
Barnwell Point Apartments, Hansfield, Dublin 15: Developed by McGarrell Reilly, Barnwell Park Apartments involve 247 apartments over 6 blocks on a 1.67-hectare site with 272 car park spaces and 400 bike spaces. This gateway development is adjacent to Hansfield Train Station providing excellent connectivity and transportation links. It is just a short stroll away from Ongar Village with Blanchardstown Shopping Centre, the Phoenix Park and the National Aquatic Centre within easy reach. Barnwell Park Apartments are part of the wider Hansfield SDZ (Strategic Development Zone), which involves new tenant amenities including a new village centre and a 5-acre park. New schools have also opened in the area recently. An initial application phase opens on Thursday, January 18th and closes on Thursday, January 25th
Breakdown of apartment types: 247 apartments, comprising 22 x studios, 48 x 1-bed, 164 x 2-bed, 1 x 3-bed and 12 x 2-bed duplexes.
Rents: €1,050 for a studio apartment, €1,225 for a 1-bed apartment, €1,400 for a 2-bed and €1,600 for a 3-bed.
The Quarter, Citywest, Dublin 24: Developed by Cairn, The Quarter is located adjacent to the Fortunestown Luas stop. The LDA has secured 236 homes at this location over four blocks including 1-bed, 2-bed and 3-bed apartments. Tenants will enjoy easy access to the Luas, Citywest Shopping Centre, Citywest Convention Centre and nearby schools and amenities. The development is well-connected with excellent public transport links and quick access to the M50 and motorway network. It features underground car parking, bike spaces, a play area and a planned gym trail. Applications open on Wednesday, January 24th and close on Wednesday, January 31st.
Breakdown of apartment types: 236 apartments, comprising 68 x 1-bed, 162 x 2-bed and 6 x 3-bed apartments.
Rents: €1,390 for a 1-bed apartment, €1,580 for a 2-bed and €1,750 for a 3-bed.
Harpur Lane, Leixlip, Co. Kildare: A total of 52 apartments are being made available at Harpur Lane, which is adjacent to the picturesque village of Leixlip, a well-connected and bustling town. The area has an abundance of schools and crèches with well-established athletics, GAA, soccer, rugby and basketball clubs. For commuters, the village is close to the N4/M4, which leads on to the M50, while there is also regular Dublin Bus services and train connections. An initial application process opens on Monday, January 15th and closes on Monday, January 22nd.
Breakdown of apartments: 52 apartments, 21 x 1-bed and 31 x 2-bed units.
Rents: €1,357 for a 1-bed, €1,585 for a 2-bed.
Note: As Harpur Lane is in Leixlip and outside Dublin, a household’s net income must be lower than €59,000 to qualify.
Dun Óir, Kilternan, Dublin 18: Dun Óir is located off the Glenamuck Road in Dublin 18 between Stepaside and Enniskerry in a highly sought after area of South Dublin. A total of 86 units are being made available to rent in a development built by B&C Contractors. The location benefits from regular public transport services to the city centre and is within walking distance of the Luas. Tenants can avail of a vast array of local amenities including golf courses, adventure trails, equestrian centres and local parks and attractions. The area is surrounded by restaurants, bars and cafes with a range of schools and preschools to choose from as well as easy access to Carrickmines Retail Park, Leopardstown Shopping Centre, Dundrum Town Centre and Cornelscourt. Details of the application process are due to be announced soon.
Breakdown of apartments: 86 apartments, comprising of 51 x 1-bed and 35 x 2-bed.
Rents: €1,300 for a 1-bed apartment and €1,450 for a 2-bed.
About cost rental
Cost rental offers housing for the rental market at discounted market rents. Rents are typically 25 to 30% below the open market rate. Cost rental provides houses, apartments and duplexes to applicants who meet the required eligibility criteria.
To qualify for cost rental accommodation candidates must have a net annual household income of less than €66,000 (Dublin) or €59,000 (outside Dublin). They must be able to demonstrate their affordability to pay the stated rent, with their rent payments accounting for no more than 35% of their net household income.
Applicants must not own a property and their household size must match the size of the property in question. Applicants must not be in receipt of any social housing supports, including rent supplement or HAP.
How it works
- Available LDA cost rental housing and details of the application processes involved are listed on the LDA website
- Applications are open to any Irish residents who meet the eligibility criteria.
- Applicants must register their interest in a particular scheme on the LDA website within the application timeframe.
- Applicants are then selected at random via a lottery and, if selected, are invited to submit documents to prove their eligibility.
- Successful applicants are offered a tenancy.
About the LDA
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 or acquired land and over 5,000 through the Government’s Project Tosaigh initiative. The agency has existing planning permission for over 5,000 affordable homes on State-owned or acquired land 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 has an initial delivery schedule of 2,500 homes and is on course to deliver 5,000 by 2026.
The LDA recently 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.
Direct delivery
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.
Project Tosaigh
Project Tosaigh is an LDA initiative, whereby the agency partners with developers and steps in to kick-start stalled or unviable housing projects, making the new homes available to renters on a cost rental basis or to purchasers at an affordable cost.
The LDA has already launched a number of Project Tosaigh homes including the release of 142 cost rental homes in Archers Wood in Delgany in Wicklow and the initial phase of 95 cost rental homes in Parklands in Citywest. The homes in Delgany were delivered in association with Cairn Homes while the homes in Citywest were delivered in association with Harcourt Developments.
The LDA has also launched a number of affordable purchase Project Tosaigh developments. This includes 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. The homes in Clonmore were delivered in association with the O’Flynn Group. The homes in Kilbarry were delivered in partnership with the Whitebox Group and the Baker Hall homes were built by Glenveagh. These homes can be purchased by eligible candidates under local authority shared equity schemes.