Press release
Government approves €186 million funding package to develop new town in Clonburris, Dublin
From Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Published on
Last updated on
The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, has welcomed the government’s decision today to approve a multi-annual grant-funding package of €186.3 million of infrastructure investment for the Clonburris Strategic Development Zone (SDZ) Enabling Infrastructure Project in South Dublin. The Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) is providing investment for the necessary infrastructure to develop a new town, Clonburris, located between Lucan, Clondalkin and Liffey Valley. The funding will enable over 8,700 homes to be built on the SDZ site, providing housing for an estimated 23,000 people.
The enabling infrastructure project, part-funded by the URDF, will involve the provision of critical strategic infrastructure to develop this unique and complex site, including:
The URDF support will act as a catalyst for the wider regeneration and development of one of Ireland’s largest underutilised sites, as well as the wider South Dublin area and the region at large. Development of the Clonburris SDZ, a wider project being led by South Dublin County Council, has the potential to be a transformative urban regeneration and development project of national, regional and local significance. The project will facilitate the provision of distinctive and attractive places where housing can be delivered in tandem with state-of-the-art public realm, green infrastructure and community facilities.
In parallel with the delivery of infrastructure, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and South Dublin County Council are progressing plans to deliver up to 2,600 social and affordable homes at 6 local authority-owned sites in the SDZ.
Welcoming the announcement, Minister O’Brien said:
“This funding will make it possible for a whole new town to be built in west Dublin, the first project of its kind in a generation, one which was strongly supported by the Taoiseach and the wider government. Clonburris will be a well-designed town with over 8,700 homes, good transport links and vital amenities and services. Up to 2,600 of these homes will be social and affordable homes delivered by my department and South Dublin County Council. Today’s announcement illustrates the ever-growing reach of the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund in revitalising our cities and towns, improving their offering as places in which to live, work, visit or invest.”
The wider project to develop the SDZ, led by South Dublin County Council, comprises:
Approximately 1,000 social homes with approximately. 120 homes of these to be delivered under the Social Housing Public-Private Partnership Programme.
Approximately 1,600 affordable homes, utilising the Affordable Housing Fund.
(The range of 7,730 – 11,098 homes is the housing density range in the SDZ’s planning scheme. The 8,700 figure used earlier relates to housing delivery, as planned, however, more housing could be delivered if appropriate).
As a key activator of Project Ireland 2040, the URDF is driving regeneration and rejuvenation of strategic and underutilised areas within Ireland’s 5 cities, key regional drivers and other large towns. To date, the government has provided funding or approved in principle funding of €1.6 billion for 132 projects.
More information on the URDF project can be found at this link:
The government have given approval-in-principal at Decision Gate 1 of the Public Spending Code (PSC) for this URDF project.
The Clonburris SDZ project, part-funded by the URDF, will involve the provision of critical strategic infrastructure to develop this unique and complex site, including:
The wider proposed development in Clonburris SDZ involves the development of:
The Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) was launched in 2018 to support more compact and sustainable development. The Fund is providing part-funding for projects that will enable a greater proportion of residential and mixed-use development to be delivered within the existing built-up footprints of our cities and large towns, while also ensuring that more parts of our urban areas can become attractive and vibrant places in which people choose to live and work, as well as to invest and to visit.
The URDF is 1 of 4 funds established under the National Development Plan 2018-2027 and has a total allocation of €2 billion to 2027, with €159 million available to fund URDF-supported projects in 2022. Already, the URDF is providing assistance for 132 projects that will contribute to the regeneration and rejuvenation of Ireland’s 5 cities and other large towns, in line with the objectives of the National Planning Framework and National Development Plan.
In keeping with the aims of the National Planning Framework (NPF) and Project Ireland 2040, the URDF demonstrates a new and more tailored approach to the provision of government support. Over its planned duration up to 2027, URDF support will be targeted in an integrated, dynamic and responsive way to support the regeneration and rejuvenation of our towns and cities.
Through the URDF, the NPF is now being underpinned by significant targeted capital investment that will act as a catalyst for wider regeneration and development and growth. In this regard the IDA has already acknowledged the important role that the URDF is playing in the creation of a sense of place, something which is considered essential for increasing Ireland’s attractiveness to foreign investment and strengthening opportunities for indigenous enterprise.
In mid-2019, approval in principle and provisional funding allocations issued in respect of 87 major projects across the country under the first call for proposals. This significant pipeline of projects is set to have a transformational impact in urban areas across the country. Through the URDF, successful applicants are receiving targeted integrated support for innovative holistic solutions to the issues that have hindered the regeneration and rejuvenation of our large towns and cities.
This significant pipeline of projects is set to have a transformational impact in urban areas across the country. These projects offer a good regional spread, and span a number of themes, and the diversity of this first tranche of projects demonstrates the broad focus and responsive nature of the Fund. The sum total of provisional allocations to date in respect of these 87 projects is just under €300 million.
The programme has been very well received and supported and the department is working closely with the successful applicants to advance these projects as quickly as possible.
Call 2 was announced in 2020, with a primary focus on contributing to compact growth objectives through integrated urban developments, strategic development areas combining a number of elements and schemes that support wider climate action objectives and liveability factors within our cities and towns. Approval in principle was given for funding support of €1.3 billion for 45 projects.