The Land Development Agency (LDA) and Dublin City Council are set to erect more than 700 social and cost-rental apartments as part of their largest joint project to date. The construction, which includes high-rising blocks extending up to 15 stories, is to take place in Cherry Orchard, west Dublin, marking the commencement of the first phase in the development of over 1,100 homes on a large expanse of land close to the Park West railway station and east of the M50 highway.
To date, the site has been largely dormant, with original plans for housing development on council-controlled land remaining unrealised for over ten years. With this new development, the 547 cost-rental and 161 social housing apartments will be divided across 16 blocks varying in size from four to 15 storeys. They will consist of 28 studio flats, 263 one-bedroom, 368 two-bedroom, and 49 three-bedroom apartments.
The upcoming project does not fall short on amenities. Provision has been made for various facilities, like a supermarket, retail outlets, community and cultural spaces, and children’s care facilities. A landscaped public open space, equipped with a plaza, fitness trail, playground, and games area, has also been included in the plan. In addition, each apartment will have either a balcony or terrace area.
Designed to obtain an A energy rating, the apartments are to feature heat pump systems, insulation, and photovoltaic panels. Many flats will command views of either communal parklands or landscaped courtyard gardens. The new development will provide a majority of cost-rental homes for Cherry Orchard’s low-and medium-earning workers where the cost of rent is set based on the building, managing and maintaining costs, rather than current market rates. This cost-rental system allows tenants to enjoy long-term security with leasing options for a period of several years. In 2020, the income eligibility for cost-rental housing applicants was raised to €66,000, post-tax, in Dublin.
An Bord Pleanála has given the thumbs up for the proposed development, commenting that it will favourably add to the compact growth and utilisation of a suitably zoned greenfield/brownfield area within Dublin city’s confines. The Land Development Agency (LDA) will now move ahead with an intricate design and the appointment of a principal contractor, with an aim for the construction to commence by 2025’s close.
The Cherry Orchard Point apartment scheme forms part of a broader regeneration project under the Park West-Cherry Orchard Local Area Plan, which received the approval of city councillors in October 2019. The director of housing delivery with the council, Dave Dinnigan, has described the board’s decision as a positive reinforcement to the council’s strategies for more diverse housing tenures. Furthermore, he expressed his appreciation for the local councillors’ backing of this plan, which is set to provide top-quality residential units and facilities in an area designated as fitting for future expansion.