Report finds 1000 houses could be built on public land in Dundalk

Three state/semi state owned sites in Dundalk have been identified as potential locations for affordable and social housing in a report published by the Land Development Agency (LDA).

The report believes that if the sites were developed, up to 1000 new homes could be delivered in Dundalk. 

The primary role of the LDA in preparing this report is to identify relevant public land and assess its potential for development into affordable and social housing. The report supports an analysis of the public land bank and its potential to aid in the delivery of affordable and social homes. It does not indicate that the lands identified are all to be developed by the LDA.

The three sites identified in Dundalk are: the bus depot on the Ardee Road, Land adjacent to Langfied (next to the Louth Hospital) and ESB Networks on the Avenue Road. 

The report states that:

• The 5.7ha site at the bus depot on the Ardee Road, owned by CIE,  could possibly facilitate 330 - 470 homes at a cost of between €116,000,000 - €151,500,000. The report notes that this site is in operational use and would require relocation of the existing depot in order to facilitate development.
• The 2.7ha parcel of land next to the Louth Hospital, owned by the HSE, could yield 150-210 houses at a cost of between €51,400,000 - €69,550,000. The report notes that the land is zoned for residential development and the Draft Dundalk LAP proposes to change the zoning of the site to Community Facilities.
• The 3.0ha site at the ESB Networks on the Avenue Road, could provide 230-320 houses at a cost of between €77,200,000 - €103,200,000.

Total costs include the estimated cost of development and providing relevant infrastructure. 

Commenting on the sites were identified in Dundalk, the report notes that the population of the town is expected to reach at least 50,000 by 2031 and says:

”The town benefits from its strategic location along the DublinBelfast Economic Corridor and has excellent multimodal connectivity with both Dublin and Belfast. Dundalk is also the primary employment centre in Co. Louth, providing approx. 14,000 jobs. 

“Louth County Council’s overarching development strategy is to ensure that Dundalk fulfils its full potential as a Regional Centre by facilitating the population and associated economic growth. 

“A primary way of doing so is by broadening and strengthening the employment base of the town, working towards eventual city status in the future.”

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Dearbhla Lawson, Director of Planning Services at the LDA said:

“The Report on Relevant Public 2025 identifies land with the best potential for the delivery of affordable housing. It builds on the work completed in the 2023 report and includes a review and new analysis of 45 other census towns.

“When developing this report, it was vital that the LDA accurately classified the potential of the public land we identified and provided a realistic assessment of the complexities involved in certain cases. 

“While there are many sites that are moderately or significantly constrained, there is a cohort of least constrained sites that could be prioritised in the short to medium term. Prioritising these well-located sites will deliver not just much-needed affordable housing, but new sustainable communities that support the vitality and viability of our towns and cities and bring societal benefits”.