Construction of new affordable homes continues transformation of Dublin 15 area

New show homes at one of Ireland’s largest affordable housing developments have been officially opened today, as the Mayor of Fingal was joined by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth at the extensive Church Fields project underway in Mulhuddart.

Construction of this vibrant new community in Dublin 15 on state-owned land is due to a collaboration between Fingal County Council and Gem Construction. The combination of Fingal County Council’s expertise in providing affordable homes and GEM’s exceptional track record in building high-quality homes ensures that Church Fields will provide prospective homeowners with a pathway to buy a superior-quality new home in a very good location. 

Along with opening the show village, the ministers were able to see development underway on the 18 hectares site which, when fully completed, will see the delivery of 1,000 new homes. The current phase will make available 300 homes, consisting of 180 affordable purchase houses, 80 cost-rental apartments, and 40 social homes. It will provide a range of two- and three-bedroom properties. Such is the interest, 50 of the homes have already been sold.

Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Brian McDonagh said: “The ability to turn around top-quality homes so quickly marks a significant milestone. But it's much more than just construction of houses; it reflects Fingal County Council’s commitment to creating and nurturing vibrant, sustainable communities throughout the County that provide a welcoming environment for people of all backgrounds for generations to come.”

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Planning, Darragh O’Brien, said: “At the beginning of the year I had the honour of turning the sod on this phase of the development here in Churchfields. To see the first of the show homes now complete in such a relatively short space of time is just incredible. The use of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) such as here in Fingal is absolutely the way forward in construction and, thankfully, we are now seeing lots of homes around the country built using MMC.

“This phase is a brilliant mix of hugely popular affordable purchase, affordable cost rental and social homes – exactly what we want to see delivered under Housing for All. I really want to commend Fingal County Council who have championed this site which, when complete, will have more than 1,000 homes and most importantly thousands of new residents.”

Minister Roderic O’Gorman said: “Church Fields is an example of exactly the type of housing we need in Ireland – high quality, affordable housing that is delivered quickly with all the amenities to help foster a happy and tight-knit community. The opening of the first show homes today is an important milestone on the way to creating a vibrant neighbourhood of one thousand new homes here in west Dublin.”

Minister for Finance Jack Chambers said: “I welcome the latest phase of the Church Fields development, where we have hundreds of social, affordable and cost rental homes being built by Fingal County Council in partnership with GEM. I look forward to many more hundreds of homes being built in the coming weeks and months ahead.”

This phase of the mixed tenure Church Fields scheme is designed for families who may not be able to afford a home at its full market price. It is a commitment to making homeownership more attainable for everyone. Homes are available for families with incomes from €66,000 up to €95,000.

Fingal County Council Chief Executive AnnMarie Farrelly said: “Church Fields is already delivering much-needed affordable housing in an area of strong economic growth.  Tremendous progress has been achieved since February 2024, and the development is a perfect example of the benefits of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) which has delivered homes at pace and will give keys to the door to new homeowners in Fingal this year.”

 Along with the opening of the show village, Fingal County Council continues its commitment to the delivery of housing as it signed contracts today for the  commencement of the next phase of the Church Fields development. This will see the construction of 217 residential units, comprising of 121 houses and 96 apartments. As a mixed tenure arrangement, it will include 107 social and 110 affordable units.

Martin Healy, Managing Director of GEM Construction said: “We are delighted to partner with Fingal County Council to develop and construct Phase 1 and 2 which will be a total of 517 new A-rated homes.  The construction delivery is being fast-tracked utilising Last Planner Systems to ensure earliest possible delivery of new homes, whilst employing sustainable engineering including soil stabilisation and renewable technology. We look forward to welcoming the first families to enjoy their new homes and public parks and become part of the Church Fields community.”

Church Fields benefits from the site’s unique natural setting and the design will enhance existing features to provide amenity and improve the sustainability of the area. The development will also include the rejuvenation of Wellview Park and a new Linear Park connecting Church Road to the East and the Pinkeen Valley to the West. The new park will offer multiple playgrounds and will add significant amenity value to the new and existing residents.

Alongside the delivery of mixed tenure housing, a key feature is the strong connections between the new and existing community, such as the new segregated cycle and walking infrastructure that connects the lands to neighbouring areas, places of employment, and leisure facilities. A new, safe, and fully segregated pedestrian and cycle route to the nearby school campus and places of worship will embed sustainable transport and promote the adoption of active travel as the desirable choice for current and future residents from day one.

For more information on the types of homes available at Church Fields, go to: https://churchfieldsdublin.ie/