Construction BUSINESS

The Land Development Agency (LDA) has started construction on the development of 219 affordable and social homes at the former Devoy Barracks in Naas, County Kildare. Mullingar-based Andrews Construction has been appointed as the contractor for the development with the first homes due to be delivered in 2025.

The A-rated homes are being constructed on a State-owned 4.14-hectare site, located on John Devoy Road to the southwest of Naas Town Centre. The land was previously part of the former Devoy Barracks complex and the site was made available to the LDA by The Housing Agency.

Planning permission for the Strategic Housing Development (SHD) was approved by An Bord Pleanála in October 2022 with the housing mix including terraced houses, duplexes and apartments. The homes will be set across two to five storeys, and the development will be augmented with car parking, green open spaces and a creche.

The new homes will be well-serviced by transport links with regular public transport services to Dublin city centre and surrounding towns. They will also be within easy access of the M9 and M7 motorways while there are a wide range of services and amenities in both Naas and the wider Kildare area.

The housing includes 42 two-storey, three-bed houses, 177 apartments and duplexes consisting of 64 one-bed, 105 two-bed and eight three-bed units. All of the three-bed houses will have gardens and solar panels while the apartments will feature balconies or terraces.

The development will also include a total of 4,684 sq m of communal open space, 314 car parking spaces and 482 bicycle parking spaces.

John Coleman, Chief Executive of the LDA, said: “This is a key development in a great location, and we are delighted that a contractor has been appointed and construction has now begun. The LDA is already on site in Shanganagh in Dublin and at St Kevin’s Hospital in Cork, so it is fantastic to add Devoy Barracks to our social and affordable housing delivery  pipeline with yet more projects awaiting planning permission and others at various stages of the delivery process. One of the key roles of the LDA is to identify State-owned land that is suitable for housing delivery and to oversee the provision of housing on such sites if and when they are transferred to us. We have put considerable effort into this process and earlier this year published the Report on Relevant Public Land to advise the government on the potential use of key sites for housing. We are pleased that we are now making considerable progress and we would like to thank the State agencies and public bodies who are working with us to provide land as they are playing a crucial part in helping to address the country’s housing need.”

Bob Jordan, Chief Executive Officer of The Housing Agency, said: “We are delighted to have made this site available to the LDA and to see this important housing project now starting construction. It is one of three sites The Housing Agency has made available to the LDA, with the others being at Castlelands in Balbriggan and at Hacketstown in Skerries.”

Donal Quirke, Managing Director of Andrews Construction, said: “We are delighted to have been appointed as the contractors for this strategic and important housing development. We have been building quality family homes for over 40 years and have always sought to be at the forefront of the construction industry, ensuring the delivery of high quality homes on schedule. We are excited to be working with the LDA and we look forward to completing this project and welcoming new residents in 2025.”