Proposal to sell local authority land for €2.65m is voted down

A PROPOSAL to sell local authority land in Knocklyon to a developer for €2.65m was voted down at the council meeting on Monday.

The land in question at Castlefield – two small sites located between Firhouse Road and the M50 – was previously disposed to another developer in 2015 for €3.9m, but this fell through.

Speaking at the meeting, South Dublin County Council CEO Danny McLoughlin, said the developer in 2015 subsequently withdrew their bid following “erroneous assumptions”, and “what is seen now is a better understanding of the price.”

Mr McLoughlin said members agreed at previous council meetings that this site, was one of four in the county, that could be sold as a ‘best for sale’, and this was “not an executive decision but a council one.”

Earlier in the meeting, a number of councillors expressed concern about the price disparity between 2015 and 2021, including Carly Bailey (SocDems).

Others, Francis Timmons (Ind), Madeleine Johannson (PBP), Cathal King (SF), Guss O’Connell (Ind) and Liam Sinclair (GL), felt the site should be kept for housing at a time of crisis, with William Carey (SF) favouring elderly housing.

“It should be Part 8, we are in a worse position now than in 2015. It is unacceptable to consider, we have land there and we should develop it,” said Cllr King.

Cllr Louise Dunne (SF) noted the company involved in the latest tendering process were only recently set up, while Cllr Pamela Kearns (Lab) was concerned the land could be “flipped” down the line by the developer.

Responding to members concerns, Mr McLoughlin said the sale was an “open tender process”, “fully auditable, there is no question of there been any undue influence or anything.”

He said the valuation placed on the site by market expectation led to them giving an estimate of 30 houses on the site, and there was no question of it being flipped because “we only have licence to build, we wouldn’t transfer the freehold to any potential purchaser.”

Cllr Brian Lawlor (FG), who voted in favour of the proposal, said a major benefit of selling now, could lead to homes being built in 12 months, rather than “delaying for possibly three years” for a Part 8.

“The planning application had to be put in within two months if it was sold – 30 houses, six social and 24 private homes could be ready in nine to 12 months,” he said.

“We voted on the Homeville site (Part 8), nearby, in 2017 and people are not expected to walk in the doors there until 2022.

“Castlefield is not in the current project of works for this council. Are the Dept Housing going to fund what is a small site here, when they can look at a bigger site somewhere else?

“Funds from the sale could have been used to build more houses in different parts of the county.”

Cllr Ronan McMahon (Ind), who also voted in favour, said the sale could be “ringfenced to go back into housing.”

For the site, Mr McLoughlin hopes to have a Part 8 approved by council before summer break 2022, and his preference would be for social/affordable on a site of this size.

“We need all the land we can get, so selling housing land is not on our agenda. We have a significant target to achieve in the next five years across social and affordable housing. I’m not looking to get money for this. You have what you hold.”

Members voted on the Section 183 proposal to sell the Castlefield site – with 28 against, and eight in favour (FG Cllrs and Cllr McMahon).