Positive news on Kildare affordable housing development

Local authorities recently gave a positive update regarding a project to deliver social and affordable housing in Newbridge, which had recently been placed on hold.

Kildare County Council said that it is actively looking to develop the Rickardstown site, after the Department of Housing ruled out plans to build homes there under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) programme.

This update was provided at the most recent meeting of Kildare-Newbridge Municipal District, when Fine Gael councillors Tracey O’Dwyer and Peggy O’Dwyer asked the council for an update on the residential site at Rickardstown following the decision not to proceed with delivering the project under the PPP model.

An official from the council’s housing department issued the written response to the motion, which stated that “the site remains under active consideration by the council for the delivery of housing”. The local authority is currently deciding the best mix of homes – including the provision of both social and affordable housing - and the best way to deliver the project.

The project has not yet reached the formal part 8 planning stage. According to the council, work is ongoing to “inform the preferred development approach, taking account of site constraints, housing need, and policy objectives” – whilst making use of the planning and design work already completed.

Once a delivery approach is agreed, the project will move forward to planning approval, including the part 8 stage. The council said it will provide further updates in due course.

The councillors accepted the response. Cllr Tracey O’Dwyer told KFM radio on Wednesday that the update represented good news in the context of previous communication that had suggested the project would be cancelled.

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