Citywest Centre project at final stages of agreement

SDCC provided an update on the delivery of the proposed Citywest Community Centre project, which currently has a “target construction commencement date of September 2026.”

Planning permission for the development was granted in May 2026 and is currently progressing through the “final stages of agreement” between SDCC and the developer.

The project’s preliminary design was developed in-house by the Architectural Services Department and comprises a new community centre and crèche facility of approximately 1,500m².

SDCC clarified that the detailed design, planning and construction phases are being progressed by the developer and their design team under the terms of a Developer Agreement.

The anticipated construction period is approximately 18 months from commencement and is set to cost approximately €5.2m.

At the SDCC Area Committee Meeting, SDCC shared the update following a request from Councillor Louise Dunne.

SDCC stated that “while a definitive sod-turning date and completion date cannot be confirmed at this stage, the project continues to progress and a confirmed construction programme, including key milestone dates, will be communicated once the necessary agreements are finalised.”

In August, Paul Murphy TD called on Minister Dara Calleary to take action and ensure the long-awaited community centre in Citywest is delivered through the community centre investment fund.

Residents of Citywest have been waiting “for more than 20 years for a community centre,” which was first written into the local area plan in 2012 and was made a binding condition of planning permission in 2018.

Citywest is one of the fastest-growing communities in all of Ireland, with almost 4,000 homes built in a decade and more than 2,000 of these constructed in the last three years.

Deputy Murphy made the point that although there is a huge amount of housing development in the area, there is a severe lack of facilities.

He appealed to the Minister “not to wash his hands of this” and engage with SDCC to track delivery and

“make sure that this centre opens next year,” after they failed to complete the project in June.

Deputy Dara Calleary responded to Deputy Murphy’s comments calling on SDCC to begin development on this centre as promised, saying: “I assure the Deputy that I will not be washing my hands of it but, equally, the council has to show interest and intent. I am not going to spoon-feed the council.”

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme