The site in question between Tallaght and Clondalkin, known as Newlands Farm
Developer engaging with council over future of Newlands Farm site
A developer who unsuccessfully proposed a major 3,500 unit housing development between Tallaght and Clondalkin have said they are engaging with the council over the future of the site.
South Dublin County Council confirmed they are “reviewing a range of potential locations” to rezone across the county as residential, including the controversial Newlands Farm site, owned by developer Hibernia Real Estate Group.
The review comes after the Government recently issued revised housing supply targets for local authorities through the ‘National Planning Framework (NPF) Implementation.
The new baseline annual housing growth requirement under the NPF for SDCC is now 3,217 new dwellings per annum up to 2034 and 2,414 from 2035-2040.
This is “anticipated to require a variation” of the council’s County Development Plan for 2022 to 2028.
As such, SDCC have said they are reviewing both the adequacy of existing zoned lands and reviewing lands that were “considered for zoning as part of the preparation of the current County Development Plan”.
They said SDCC officials have facilitated requests for meetings “with a number of landowners and developers, including Hibernia Real Estate Group” as part of the current zoning reviews.
In a statement to The Echo, Hibernia Real Estate Group said that “at a time of urgent housing need, Hibernia has engaged with South Dublin County Council in relation to the land’s future potential.”
Hibernia Real Estate Group acquired the Newlands Farm site, which is currently zoned for agricultural use, just over 10 years ago.
They lodged an unsuccessful submission during the consultation process for the 2022-28 county development plan, seeking to rezone the 144-acre greenfield site from agricultural to residential use.
Plans for the site included proposals for 3,500 residential units, a new multi-purpose and multi-code sports hub comprising a pavilion and all-weather floodlit pitches to be used by local sporting groups, and the restoration of Whitehall House, known locally as Katharine Tynan House.
There was support at the time from some councillors and local sports clubs, but other groups raised concerns including the loss of “a green lung” between Tallaght and Clondalkin and the density of the development.
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