THE GOVERNMENT HAS approved €186 million in funding to develop a new town in west Dublin more than three years after the project was green-lit by An Bord Pleanála.
Clonburris, a 280-hectare site between Lucan, Clondalkin and the Liffey Valley Shopping Centre, is expected to home 23,000 people when completed.
It’s a plan that has sparked extensive debate since its conception with disagreements over social housing, infrastructure and amenities.
An Bord Pleanála approved the new town in May 2019, modifying the plans to include the building of three primary and secondary schools, with 72% of the houses to be within 500 metres of a school.
Now, the government has approved a multi-annual grant worth €186.3 million for the town under the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF), which will be allocated to building the town’s houses and other infrastructure.
The plans for the Strategic Development Zone include new link roads, utility corridors and bridges to connect it with surrounding areas and facilitate sustainable modes of transport, public parks and community centres.
It also includes a ‘green infrastructure network’ to protect and enhance the area’s biodiversity and urban drainage measures like pumping stations.
There are due to be 8,700 homes, nearly 30% of which should be social or ‘affordable’ homes.
Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien said the funding would “make it possible for a whole new town to be built in west Dublin, the first project of its kind in a generation, one which was strongly supported by the Taoiseach and the wider Government”.
“Clonburris will be a well-designed town with over 8,700 homes, good transport links and vital amenities and services. Up to 2,600 of these homes will be social and affordable homes delivered by my Department and South Dublin County Council,” the minister said.
“Today’s announcement illustrates the ever-growing reach of the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund in revitalising our cities and towns, improving their offering as places in which to live, work, visit or invest.”
The plans have been in development for more than a decade.
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