The LDA is required to assess and report on relevant public lands as set out in Section 52 of the LDA Act 2021.

The main objective of the report is to identify public lands that may have potential for future sustainable development, including the provision of new affordable homes. The lands identified are in locations where there is a housing need, and the public lands may be underused or partially in use for other purposes and there may be. potential to better utilise or develop the lands for housing. The LDA has assessed the lands and considers that they may have the potential to be developed i to deliver affordable and social housing.

The LDA Act can be read here. Section 52 of the LDA Act outlines what is required of the Report. The Act requires that the LDA assess all relevant public land in settlements of over 10,000 population. Currently there are 55 settlements that meet these criteria. This first Report focused on the five cities of Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway and the five regional centres of Drogheda, Dundalk, Athlone Letterkenny and Sligo. The second report updates on the findings of the first report and examines the remaining 45 settlements.

The LDA utilised the Register of Relevant Public Lands to review relevant land and assess whether it is fit for the purpose of providing affordable housing. This was as a stepped process consisting of:

1. Baseline Information Data Gathering of approx. 180,000 folios from the Register of Relevant Public Land.
2. High-level sifting of land in cities and census towns greater than 10,000 in population to remove land not suitable for providing housing.
3. Land characteristics were assessed against set criteria based on readiness for development.
4. A long list of lands were divided into three classes depending on the level of constraint associated with each site.
5. A high level assessment was conducted on indicative developable areas to determine an indicative yield, infrastructure requirements and cost associated with delivering the development. The costs are indicative and fixed at a point in time.

This process is outlined in detail in the methodology section of the Report.

Each parcel of land within the report has been assigned a classification which reflects the known level of constraints associated with the lands based on the high-level assessment carried out as part of this report. The level of known constraints has, in turn, impact on the steps required to bring the land to a stage where housing can be delivered and, therefore, on the associated timelines. It is estimated that a Class 1 site may take up to 7 years for the delivery of homes while Class 2 and 3 sites could take considerably longer. This timeline is also dependent on the land being made available for development.

The Report is advisory and does not mandate the transfer or repurposing of the land identified. The Report is for consideration by the Government. The LDA will continue to work with Government and key stakeholders to explore how sites can be delivered

Part 9 of the LDA Act outlines the specified percentage of housing to be built on relevant public lands that shall be used for social and affordable homes. In areas above 150,000 in population (Dublin and Cork cities), this is set at 100%, while in the remaining census towns it is set at 70%.

Further to a review of the 2023 report, 13 sites that were included in the 2023 report have now been removed. Following further assessment and stakeholder engagement, it was considered that these sites should no longer be included as having potential for future housing delivery due to existing use requirements or because they are being progressed for housing or other development.

This process of reviewing and updating on sites included in the Report will continue to be undertaken as part of future reports.

Some of the common reasons why the LDA has not expressed an interest in acquiring lands offered under S.53 are as follows:  

• The size of the lands are below the minimum requirement for an LDA development. The average size of the lands submitted in Section 53 notices received during this reporting period was 1 hectare with 80% of the notices received for land of less than1 hectare in size. 

•  The lands have advanced plans or commitments. 50% of the notices provided details of proposals for the development of the land. 

• The land is located within an area not suitable for housing development, such as industrial buildings in an industrial setting. 

• The notice was for the disposal of the land under a temporary licence and not the disposal of the freehold. 35% of the Section 53 notices were for the disposal of lands under a lease agreement.