Land Development Agency partners with developer to build 69 homes

The Land Development Agency and Glenveagh came together to build the homes at Wilkinson’s Brook in Hollystown, west Dublin, under Project Tosaigh, the Housing For All initiative. Picture: Sasko Lazarov / RollingNews.ie

The Land Development Agency (LDA) has partnered with one of the country’s largest homebuilders to fund the construction of 69 homes in Dublin.

The LDA and Glenveagh came together to build the homes at Wilkinson’s Brook in Hollystown, west Dublin, under Project Tosaigh, the Housing For All initiative which sees the LDA kickstarting stalled construction projects.

The homes will be used for an affordable rental scheme, which will be targeted at those who do not qualify for social housing, but are struggling to afford the cost of a home themselves.

Under the Government’s cost rental scheme, net household income must be below €66,000 a year for Dublin and €59,000 for elsewhere in the country, and applicants can not be in receipt of any social housing supports including rent supplement or housing assistant payment or own a property.

Locals in the area had raised questions about the use of the homes, which have not been advertised online, but the LDA and Glenveagh confirmed to the Irish Examiner that the homes would be used for cost-rental housing.

“Following the successful launch in 2020 of the first phase at Bellingsmore, and the second phase at Kilmartin Grove in 2023, Glenveagh have developed 69 houses at a scheme called Wilkinson’s Brook,” a Glenveagh spokesperson said.

“These high-quality houses were developed by Glenveagh in partnership with the Land Development Agency.

“It is anticipated that these will be provided as cost-rental homes, a long-term, secure rental option where the rent paid covers the cost of the construction, management, and maintenance of the new home.”

An LDA spokesperson added: “Cost-rental rents are significantly lower than market rents allowing those who do not qualify for social housing, but who are locked out of the private market to have an opportunity to rent a home on a secure and long-term basis. 

"The scheme at Wilkinson’s Brook is one of a number of such Project Tosaigh schemes being delivered by the agency.

“The LDA is currently in the process of securing a pipeline of thousands of Project Tosaigh homes and is on target to deliver 5,000 under this initiative by 2026.

“This is in addition to the 3,500 planning-approved homes the LDA is currently developing directly on State-owned sites.

“Further delivery announcements are expected soon.”

The official launch of the application process for the homes at Wilkinson’s Brook will take place later this year, the spokesperson added.