The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD, has just announced funding of €430m for eight regeneration projects in Dublin.

The projects are being funded under ‘Call 2’ of the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF). The URDF part-funds projects aimed at enhancing urban areas to make them more attractive places in which to live, work, visit and invest. Dublin’s four local authorities, which will deliver these multi-annual projects, will receive this funding.

The eight projects for which URDF support has been approved are:

• North Inner City Concept Area 1 (Dublin City Council) – €121.3m
• South Inner City Concept Area 2 (Dublin City Council) – €53m
• Cherrywood Public Access, Permeability and Amenity (Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council) – €40.4m
• Dundrum Community, Cultural and Civic Hub (Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council) – €4m
• Balbriggan Rejuvenation (Fingal County Council) – €25.4m
• Dunsink Feasibility Study – Transportation and Surface Water Assessments (Fingal County Council) – €41,250
• Clonburris – supplementary strategic infrastructure for the Strategic Development Zone (South Dublin County Council) – €176.6m
• Adamstown – supplementary strategic infrastructure for the Strategic Development Zone (South Dublin County Council) – €9.7m

The Department will now contact the local authorities on the next steps regarding funding. The projects announced today will augment the existing pipeline of 87 URDF-supported projects for which just under €300m has been allocated. Details of the provisional funding allocations for URDF projects in the eight other Project Ireland 2040 investment regions will be announced in the coming weeks.

All selected projects support the National Planning Framework’s ‘national strategic outcome’ of compact growth, a particular focus of the second call for URDF proposals. The URDF aims to facilitate a greater proportion of residential and commercial development, supported by infrastructure, services and amenities, within the existing built-up areas of larger urban settlements.

Announcing the provisional allocations this morning, Minister O’Brien said: “This funding will support projects that will enhance the quality of life for many people. The projects are all about making these areas more attractive places in which to live, work, visit and invest. In that context, this funding will be a catalyst for regeneration, development and growth. The funding I am announcing today will also provide much-needed economic stimulus and job creation as our economy emerges from the depths of the pandemic.”

Minister O’Brien added: “Compact growth was the focus of this round of URDF funding. The projects the Government is funding are geared towards sustainable growth of our urban settlements, supported by jobs, houses, services and amenities, as envisaged by the National Planning Framework. As well as compact growth, the fund supports our other national planning aims. In that sense the URDF is a unique approach to Government funding. Whilst many Government-funded programmes are for specific types of projects, the URDF funds a diverse set of integrated projects with integrated aims. I look forward to working with the four Dublin local authorities to progress these projects.”

The projects were chosen after a rigorous assessment process, overseen by a project advisory board consisting of Government departments, State agencies and national and international experts in areas such as building, architecture and planning. In total, the department received 76 project proposals. Each local authority submitted at least one application. Today’s announcement honours the Programme for Government commitment to continue the URDF.