Donegal County Council is planning to deliver over 1,300 housing units by 2026 to meet the significant demand for social homes.
The waiting list in the county stands at 2,600 houses across over 80 settlements.
Letterkenny has the highest levels of social housing need in the county, where the waiting list stands at 1,088. Last year, the council made 99 housing offers in the area, of which 34 were refused.
Councillors of the Letterkenny-Milford MD were told this week that the council is committed to delivering on its Housing Delivery Action Plan 2022 – 2026 to increase the social housing supply in the coming years.
Social housing developments are in progress at Killylastin, Oran Hill Letterkenny and at Mulroy View in the Tamney / Fanad area.
The council’s turnkey acquisition process is continuing throughout the county, according to the Letterkenny-Milford Housing report. Construction works on 17 housing units in Milford has been completed by Patrick J Doherty Construction (Irl. Ltd.).
Housing Capital staff are also in discussions with a developer for a 25-unit development at Ramelton Road, Letterkenny.
In response to a motion from Cllr Ian McGarvey on housing needs, the council said the plan for Donegal projects that 1,354 units will be delivered over the lifetime of the Housing Delivery Action Plan up to 2026. A primary focus in being placed on builds through the Council’s own construction programmes on Council owned lands or lands the Council is actively pursuing to acquire. Other delivery streams include the Approved Housing Body Sector and the provision of turnkeys through the competitive dialogue process that is ongoing.
Councillors were told that the Housing Plan provides for housing to meet the specific needs of people with a disability including age-friendly housing and the Council will continue to actively pursue all options to bring vacant and derelict properties back into productive use in the county.
