Council will have just five services sites to offer in 2023

The provision by Meath County Council of fully serviced private sites would make a huge difference to young people in the Ratoath area who don't qualify for social housing, but cannot afford to buy on the open market, according to Cllr Damien O'Reilly.

At a meeting of Ratoath Municipal Council last week, Cllr O’Reilly asked for an update an update on all land banks within Ratoath Municipal District, available for the sale of low cost, self-build sites.

He was told Council does not currently have low-cost sites available for sale.

“However, it is intended that an additional five sites will be made available in conjunction with the next phase of the Council’s social housing development at Lagore, Dunshaughlin. It is anticipated that these should be ready for applications in mid 2023,” he was told at last week's meeting.

Councillors were also told the council is in the process of assessing the viability of housing provision on two other sites at Drumree and Dunsany respectively.

This assessment will include: infrastructure costs, potential sources of funding for the site development costs, an assessment as to the extent of housing provision that can be permitted and Department of Housing policy on sustainable communities including any potential tenure mix.

Cllr O'Reilly pointed out that when the Council offered 10 serviced sites at Lagore in the last couple of years, there were 60 applicants for the sites and there is currently a waiting list for these serviced sites.

“This type of fully serviced site offered by the Council gives young people who aren't entitled to social housing but still cannot afford to buy their own homes, the chance to buy a serviced site at a reduced rate,” he said.

The sites include services including mains water, mains sewerage, mains electricity, access road, footpaths, and public open space.

The cost of the sites recently provided in Lagore ranged from €20,000 to €22,666.

“It is a proven model that has worked very well over the past 40 years,” said Cllr O'Reilly.

“It is a model we should be pushing for in every town and village in Meath.

“There are so many young couples in the Ratoath electoral area who just cannot get on the housing ladder and this would be perfect for them.

“I am calling for the provision of more land for these type of sites across the county,” he said.