5 days ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
542 new homes and community facilities coming to former St Teresa's Gardens site
Led by the Land Development Agency (LDA), in partnership with Dublin City Council (DCC), the Donore Project will see a 4.3-acre site off Donore Avenue transformed into a mix of cost-rental and social housing.
The plans also include a crèche, public parks, community spaces, a café and retail unit, a mobility hub, and a new base for Donore Boxing Club.
A municipal sports pitch is also planned following the completion of the residential blocks.
The long-awaited development follows years of delays, with the site first earmarked for regeneration in 2005.
Earlier proposals were shelved after the financial crash, and progress was further delayed by soil contamination issues.
Now, almost two decades later, construction is officially under way, with the first homes expected by early 2027.
The scheme includes 233 one-bedroom, 265 two-bedroom and 44 three-bedroom apartments.
Of the 542 homes, 389 will be cost-rental units and 153 will be allocated for social housing.
At the official launch, Minister for Housing James Browne said he was 'particularly pleased' to see 'such a transformative project' under way in the heart of the city.
'The LDA is the State's affordable housing delivery body and the Government, through Housing for All, has ensured it has the necessary resources to fulfil its remit and to deliver at scale, as it is doing here,' he said.
According to the project's May 2025 newsletter, groundwork is progressing rapidly. Foundation and substructure works have begun on several blocks, with three tower cranes being erected on site.
Work on Margaret Kennedy Road, which previously formed part of the original St Teresa's Gardens site, has now been completed, with hoarding moved back to the kerb and the road reopened to residents.
Project teams say efforts are being made to minimise disruption and schedule deliveries outside peak hours.
John Coleman, CEO of the LDA, called the Donore Project a 'flagship development' that will 'create not just new homes, but new liveable, sustainable and integrated communities'.
'This is a major development for the LDA, and I'm pleased to see construction is under way and progressing quickly,' he said.
'We're not just delivering housing, we're creating communities that can cater for the needs of families, older people and renters and make a real difference to the lives of people living and working in Dublin 8.'
DCC Chief Executive Richard Shakespeare said the council had engaged extensively with residents and businesses throughout the planning process.
'It's great that our work with the LDA will deliver a high number of affordable and social homes, but I'm also very pleased that we will create new public spaces and recreational areas,' he said.
'I know the local community has been seeking new sports and community facilities, and it's fantastic that we're now in a position to provide a new pitch and a new home for Donore Boxing Club.'
Dublin Lord Mayor Emma Blain said she was 'delighted' to see the development get under way.
'This type and level of high-quality housing is much needed, and I'm delighted that it will also deliver new amenities and facilities for the local community,' she added.
