Following a competitive tender process Walls Construction has been appointed by The Land Development Agency (LDA) to develop 597 new homes at Shanganagh, Co Dublin, with work on site to commence in September. The project is being delivered in partnership with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLRCC) and will be devoted 100% to affordable and social homes.

On completion this will be the largest public housing scheme in the State, delivering on the LDA’s mission to unlock state land to deliver large-scale affordable housing projects. It will be a mixed tenure project with the breakdown as follows: 51% cost rental (306 homes), 15% affordable purchase (91 homes) and 34% social housing (200 homes). The first completed homes are expected at the end of 2024.

The development will offer a mix of accommodation suitable for single people, couples, and families with 99 of the new homes to have 3 bedrooms.  Amenities will include extensive communal green space, a playground, a creche, a convenience store and café.

The site occupies approximately 9 hectares adjacent to Shanganagh Castle, Shanganagh Park and Castle Farm and will be within 10 minutes’ walk of the proposed new DART station at Woodbrook and Bus Connects route on the nearby Dublin Road (N11).

The development has been specified to the highest international environmental and sustainability standards and will be the largest scheme in the world certified to achieve the ‘passive house’ low energy use standard.

Sustainability features include very low energy demand, very low car parking provision (0.54 spaces per home), very high bicycle parking provision of over 1,300 spaces, and design features to make working from home easier.

Darragh O’Brien TD, Minister for Housing, said: “This is real progress towards providing much needed social and affordable homes in what is one of the most expensive local authority areas in the country.  The LDA is central to our Housing for All plan and are working closely with our Local Authorities to deliver social and affordable housing in significant sites across our cities and towns. I look forward to construction beginning in the coming months.”

Councillor Mary Hanafin, An Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, said: “One of my priorities as Cathaoirleach will be the provision of housing and I am looking forward to construction starting on this major project in September. This development of 597 homes at Shanganagh will offer a mix of accommodation for single people, couples and families and will all be affordable and social homes”

Frank Curran, Chief Executive, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, said: “We are proud to partner with the LDA on this development of 597 homes at Shanganagh which will be to the highest international environmental & sustainability standards. This innovative scheme will be the largest in the world certified to achieve the ‘passive house’ low energy use standard.”

John Coleman, Chief Executive of the LDA, said: “This is a significant milestone in delivering what will be the largest public housing scheme in the State. It is an example of the LDA working in close partnership with a local authority to find new ways to deliver affordable homes on council land, and I want to thank Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council for their support. We are particularly excited about the high environmental standards of the buildings’ specifications. All homes will be delivered to ‘passive house’ standard, making them cheaper to heat for residents and reducing their carbon emissions. Shanganagh is one of several major schemes the LDA is progressing in order to deliver on our mission of addressing the housing crisis by accelerating the delivery of affordable housing on State land.”

Eugene O’Shea, Chief Executive of Walls Construction, said: “Walls Construction is delighted to be selected as the construction partner for the LDA’s Shanganagh development. We look forward to building this major residential project which has been designed to the highest environmental specification, and we are pleased that our experience in delivering large-scale schemes will be used to complete this development of social and affordable homes.”

In recent weeks the LDA has submitted four planning applications which will, if approved, deliver 2,358 homes in schemes that will be 100% affordable and social housing.

The LDA is also making good progress on its Project Tosaigh initiative to deliver 5,000 new homes by unlocking land in private ownership that has full planning permission but where delivery has stalled due to financing and other constraints. Proposals from potential partners are currently under consideration through the formal expressions of interest process, with an announcement of the first schemes expected shortly.

Pictured above: John Coleman, Mary Hanafin, Darragh O’Brien TD and Eugene O’Shea.