Funding for Hayestown housing development announced

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Planning has announced ministerial approval for €3.9m in funding under the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) for the construction of 52 affordable homes as part of the project. The remaining 10 units constructed on the site will be social homes.

The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Planning, Darragh O’Brien TD, visited the Hayestown site last November where he was briefed, by Council officials, on the project which will see the construction of 38 three-bedroom houses, 10 two-bedroom houses, seven three-bedroom duplex and seven two-bedroom apartments. 

Fingal County Council is currently in the process of procuring a developer for the project with the intention of commencing construction by October and intends to advertise the affordable purchase home scheme early next year with construction due to be completed in the second-half of 2023.

The Council is currently constructing 39 affordable homes and 12 social homes at Dun Emer, Lusk, where the affordable purchase scheme was over-subscribed when it was opened to the public last year. This housing scheme is due to be completed this year.

The Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Seána Ó Rodaigh said: “The oversubscription of the Dun Emer Affordable Housing Scheme shows that there is considerable demand in the county for affordable housing so the announcement of funding for the affordable housing planned for Hayestown is welcome. The discounting will mean that those who are not eligible for social housing and are being priced out of the private market will now have an opportunity to purchase their own home.”

Fingal County Council’s Director of Housing and Community Development, Robert Burns, said: “Hayestown is one of several affordable housing developments being planned across the county by Fingal County Council and we hope to be on site by the end of this year. Dun Emer in Lusk will be completed this year and we recently secured planning approval for 300 social and affordable homes in Churchfields, Mulhuddart while a planning application is currently being prepared for Ballymastone in Donabate where 20% of the 1,200 homes will be social and 20% will be affordable.””

The Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) is a subsidy which is available to local authorities as a direct subvention on local authority housing development costs at rates of €50,000, €75,000 and €100,000 per affordable unit, dependent on a number of conditions. It enables local authorities to make affordable homes available to purchase or rent at prices and rents significantly below market rates which include a 15% reduction for affordable purchase and a 25% reduction for Cost Rental.