COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Monday, January 13, 2014
QUESTION NO.4
QUESTION: Councillor D. Looney
To ask the Manager to provide an update on the Council's plans to provide new social housing during 2014, and to make a statement on the matter?
REPLY:
During 2013 the Council identified a number of sites throughout the county with potential for proposed infill development. Details of these sites and proposals were submitted to the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government as part of the Council's response to the Government's Summer 2013 call for proposals for inclusion on a local authority housing construction led job stimulus programme. The locations included:
- St Marks' Clondalkin (11 units)
- St Finian's, Lucan (2 units)
- Suncroft, Tallaght (10 units)
- MacUilliam, Tallaght (28 units)
- Mayfield, Clondalkin (18 units)
Sites 1 - 3 listed above were among three Part 8 Public Consultation Planning Processes successfully concluded with the Manager's reports presented to and approved by the Council on 9th of September 2013. In line with the prescribed procedure associated with all capital works, a formal submission has now been forwarded to the DoECLG for approval to proceed to tender stage on these three (3) schemes and we await the outcome of this submission.
Sites 4 - 5 listed above are currently going through a formal Part 8 Public Consultation Planning Process. Details of these proposed schemes are available here. This process is expected to conclude with presentation of the Manager's Report to the Council at the March 2014 meeting.
The Council is also currently carrying out an assessment of short to medium land bank requirements to facilitate additional future building programmes.
We are conscious that the national Budget 2014 contained stimulus measures in the housing area and it is anticipated that an announcement regarding funding will be made early in the New Year on projects already submitted for approval. (€100m was announced for a national construction programme over 2014/2015 with approximately €35m of this funding being targeted at people with a special housing need – people with a disability/ elderly / homeless, and €65m for mainstream local authority housing).Based on the budget announcement is is also likely that funding may be made available to Approved Housing Bodies for provision of units through the Capital Assistance Scheme, and the Council may be requested to submit a programme of proposed acquisitions (in consultation with AHBs) under this scheme.
During 2014 the Council will also continue to be proactive in the procurement of units for the provision of social housing support under the Social Housing Leasing and RAS schemes (whereby we enter into lease arrangements with private property owners and Voluntary Housing Bodies to procure homes to provide for the housing needs of persons on social housing waiting lists). In 2013 circa 350 units were procured with a significant number contracted in late December through multi-unit leases, and we expect to exceed this figure during 2014 with a number of proposals for multi-unit leasing at various locations throughout the county currently being considered.
In addition the Council succesfully negotiated over the past couple of years a number of financial compensations as a result of agreements in accordance with Part V, and in accordance with the Part V conditions this fund can be used to finance the purchase of completed units. During 2014, it is intended to purchase a number of suitable units throughout the county in areas of housing demand with some proceeds from this fund.
In total during 2013 there were approximately 350 allocations, most of which were through the Council's Choice Based Letting System, and a similar if not higher figure is expected for 2014 based on expected additional procurements. Outside of new procurements, there will also be allocations to casual vacancies due to surrenders in the Council's existing housing stock.