Plan for 740 new council houses in Louth - Minister

MINISTER DAMIEN ENGLISH OUTLINED PLANS FOR NEW HOUSING IN LOUTH

THE plans for a ‘pipeline of projects’ to deliver more than 740 new social houses in Louth was confirmed by Minister of State, Damien English, last week.

Spekaing in the Dail, the Minister at the Department for Housing responded to calls for action on the landbanks owned by Louth County Council.

Louth TD Imelda Munster asked the Minister ‘when he will fund the roll-out of a social and affordable housing building programme on the 50 acres of council-owned landbanks in County Louth in view of the housing emergency.’

She added: ‘Is the Minister of State aware that Louth County Council has been paying millions out of its budget every year in interest on the landbanks? Is he also aware that the council has consistently asked the Department for funding for the roll-out of social and affordable housing?’

She said that ‘upwards of 800 houses on those landbanks if the political will was there.’

The Minister responded: ‘ There are 68 ha of land, not 50 acres, available to the local authority in Louth to develop housing. That land could accommodate 1,700 houses. We are very clear that funding is available to develop more schemes on lands owned by Louth County Council. We have engaged with the council and I have met with officials so I am aware that the council is paying interest on debts associated with the purchase of land.’

‘I made it very clear to the council that the best way to solve that problem is to bring forward proposals to develop the land. The most recent opportunity was under the SSF but Louth County Council did not make an application in that regard. I wish to be very clear. A second call will be issued to local authorities very soon and we will work with the council to bring forward proposals under the fund. We want the landbank to be developed. We also made it very clear a number of months ago that we will fund some feasibility works on all the sites to enable the council to bring forward proposals.’

Minister English said ‘I have met with Louth County Council. It has a pipeline of projects to deliver more than 740 houses in the coming year or two. We have been very clear that we would like more projects to be in the pipeline. There are schemes to do that and we are very happy to engage with the council in this regard. Where landbanks can deliver all three categories of housing and help recoup some of the costs the council has expended the landbanks should be used for that as well where it is suitable.’

He added: ‘Some of the sites are large and it would not be suitable to only bring forward social housing on them. The local authority in Louth is very aware of that and it has engaged on the sites as well. We will engage with the council and make available our technical teams to help it develop those sites.’