COMHAIRLE CHONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF TALLAGHT AREA COMMITTEE 1
Monday, May 15, 2006
HEADED ITEM (11)
HEADED ITEM: Housing Department
Report on Joint Venture Partnership Scheme Deerpark
The Councils Joint Venture Partnership scheme at Deerpark was one of a number of initiatives taken by the Council to increase the supply of housing and in particular social housing in the County. The project arose from recommendations in a regional report that called for each local authority to investigate, develop and progress a number of innovative and creative housing initiatives with potential partners including the private sector and social housing providers. Schemes providing in excess of 1200 housing units were developed under this initiative.
To facilitate the partnership arrangements the Council authorised the disposal of a site comprising 22 acres or thereabouts at Killinarden, Tallaght to Durkan New Homes Ltd in exchange as part of the condition, of the delivery of up to 75% of the housing units to be developed on the Killinarden Lands to the Council at affordable prices.
In Deerpark the overall development compromises of some 594 residential units in a mixture of two and three storey units comprising two and three bedroom houses, two and three bedroom duplex and maisonette units. This development is being advanced in an integrated way with proposals for adjoining sites to create a neighbourhood or village community complex. After prolonged and detailed negotiations with the developer the following breakdown of the numbers within each category of tenure was agreed.
Category No of units
Social (SDCC) 122
Voluntary 149
Affordable 120
Private Sale 203
Work has been continuing on site in a phased manner commencing initially with the affordable units .Work on the social, voluntary and private units elements followed .To date of the 120 affordable units 102 units have been sold to applicants approved under the affordable housing scheme. The remaining 18 units are still being constructed and will be completed and handed over during the summer.
Circle Voluntary Housing Association is acquiring 149 housing units for voluntary housing purposes. To date 62 of the voluntary units have been signed over to Circle who have allocated them to their tenants. The balance of 87 voluntary housing units are substantially constructed and the arrangements for the phased signing over of these units have been agreed. Handovers will be continued on this phased basis as units are snagged and completed over the coming months.
Due to the innovative nature of this partnership proposal a number of complex legal matters which where unique to the project arose. As members are aware the overall development is to be managed by a management company owned and comprised of stakeholders in the project .The day to day management and maintenance of the scheme is being undertaken by a specially formed management services company, which will be owned and run by the voluntary housing partner in the overall project .While Circle will provide the management service to the project, it will report and take instructions from the stakeholders. In this way it is anticipated that annual maintenance charges will be at a considerable discount to market rates and are likely to remain so.
Work has continued to progress on site in a reasonable manner and progress on the contract has generally been in accordance with the agreed programme of works. As indiciated earlier work commenced on the affordable units first. Work on the construction and completion of the 119 social units is at an advanced state. The snagging of these units is underway and the keys to the first tranches of units are in the possession of the Law Agent awaiting the completion of the necessary documentation. It is likely that at the date of this Area Committee Meeting that the allocation of these units will be completed. The remaining social housing units are substantially constructed and the arrangements for the phased signing over of these units have been agreed. Handovers and the allocation of these units will continue on this phased basis as units are snagged and completed over the coming months.
In summary 391 of the housing units in Deerpark are being provided for social and affordable housing purposes. At the date of writing this report some 27% of these units are completed and occupied. Substantial numbers of units will be completed and occupied in the next number of months. Full details will be provided as usual through the detailed reports which are presented to each Area Committee Meeting.