Donegal County Council has set an ambitious target of delivering 1,268 social homes in the next two years.
Projects are at various stages across the county to meet this goal and help tackle the housing crisis.
A special meeting in Lifford yesterday revealed that the council is reaching beyond the goal set under the national Housing for All programme by a significant 44%, with the government target for Donegal being 879 units.
Councillors were given an update on the diverse tactics to achieve the target. The proposed delivery plan incorporates various streams, including construction on own council lands, partnerships for turnkey developments, design and build projects, acquisitions of existing housing for social housing purposes, and leveraging two large development sites in Letterkenny that are expected to provide 340 units.
The five year plan has 173 units completed to date. Construction is currently underway at locations including the housing units for older people at Trusk Road in Ballybofey, alongside Gallows Lane in Lifford, Drumacrin and Bundoran, Crana Crescent in Buncrana, and Killylastin in Letterkenny (pictured above).
Looking ahead, DCC projects that 747 units will be either under construction or completed by the end of 2024.
Progress is ongoing on two major flagship projects in Letterkenny, councillors were told. Donegal County Council acquired two large sites last year at the High Road (8.23 acres) and Ballymacool (13.89 acres).
The Ballymacool site will see diggers on the ground in 2025, with a target of 100 units completed by the end of 2026. This project has the potential to deliver a total of 165 units.
The High Road project will be developed in phases, with the first phase delivering 30 units by the end of 2026. The overall potential for High Road sits at 175 units.
The size of both sites allows for a mix of family homes as well as homes for single people who comprise a large percentage of the housing list in the town.
As of April, there are 1,202 applicants on the social housing waiting list in the Letterkenny Municipal District. This figure accounts for 664 applicants currently accommodated with HAP assistance and 112 tenants currently accommodated in council social housing and who are approved for a transfer.
