LDA seeks to purchase privately-owned sites to drive affordable homebuilding

By David Young, PA

The Land Development Agency (LDA) has outlined new plans to purchase privately-owned sites to build affordable homes.

The state delivery body for affordable housing is seeking expressions of interest from landowners who would be willing to sell their sites.

The strategy will be initially focused on large sites that could be utilised for the construction of higher density housing projects in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford.

It is targeting sites that have existing planning permission for 200-plus homes.

The LDA said it would assess the suitability of the sites based on criteria including transport links, development viability and building cost efficiencies.

The agency said sites close to existing state-owned lands will be of particular interest.

The purchase of privately-owned land is one of several delivery methods being pursued by the LDA.

It is also responsible for delivering affordable housing on existing state-owned lands.

It has further been tasked with running Project Tosaigh, where it can step in to purchase and complete stalled or unviable housing projects in partnership with developers.

Once completed, the agency makes those homes available through affordable purchase or cost rental schemes.

John Coleman, chief executive of the LDA, said the agency was seeking to maximise every opportunity to deliver affordable housing.

“The agency is already delivering affordable homes on state-owned land and in partnership with developers through the Project Tosaigh initiative,” he said.

“As we continue to grow and maintain a steady pipeline of affordable housing, it makes sense to also look at potential opportunities involving the outright purchase of privately-owned land and we are now seeking expressions of interest from landowners in this regard.

“We believe it is possible to acquire sites in the country’s main cities at costs that allow for the development of affordable housing, particularly in cases where we can deploy the LDA’s expertise and experience at scale on projects that will deliver the right housing in the right place.”