LABOUR Party councillor Joe Leddin has hit out that the Land Development Agency (LDA) has failed to deliver one house on State-owned land since its establishment by Fine Gael in 2018.
The City West representative pointed out that with six LDA sites in Limerick, not one house has been delivered in the last five years.
“The latest project update by the LDA confirms that not one site in Limerick is earmarked for development for the foreseeable future. The projects listed on their website highlight several sites in Dublin, Cork, Waterford, and Mullingar, yet Limerick which was originally identified as a key location remains excluded and forgotten about,” Cllr Leddin claimed.
“Several sites identified and acquired by the LDA in Limerick, including the lands at Colbert Station, Carey’s Road, Limerick Docklands, and Rosbrien, are listed as Class 3 sites, meaning the future development will be complicated and protracted.
“Effectively we will fail to see any house or apartment in the next 20-30 years on these strategic located sites.”
“This is a shocking indictment by Government in the midst of a housing crisis causing misery to thousands of families and children languishing on waiting lists that grow every year.
“Sites such as the former Gas Networks site on O’Curry Street, designated as Class 1, can expect development within a 5-10 year period, despite the site being strategically located within walking distance to the city centre.”
The Labor councillor believes that the Fine Gael plan to fast track the delivery of public housing on public land is failing miserably, and the housing crisis is now forcing young people to migrate while others live in overcrowded unsuitable conditions.
“Councils have historically delivered social housing for decades and it is nothing short of disgraceful that more quango agencies are being established and stuffed with hundreds of employees on well paid salaries while hundreds of sites lay idle and undeveloped.
“Why can’t Government resource Councils with the necessary funding so that we can get on and deliver much needed social houses rather than having to wait decades more to see these sites developed with much needed houses and apartments?” he asked.
The Limerick Post contacted the LDA for commented but there was no response at the time of going to print.
However, at this past Monday’s Metropolitan District meeting, Senior Council Planner Maria Wood said that the LDA have confirmed their intention to hold a briefing with elected members in early September.
