Council land bank in Mayo has potential for 438 homes

MAYO County Council owns 25 sites around the county that could deliver 438 homes, with management told its land bank needs to increase.

The breakdown of greenfield sites in each municipal district (MD) and potential number of housing units is as follows.

Ballina MD: five sites - 138 units

Castlebar MD: four sites - 111 units

Claremorris/Swinford MD: 11 sites - 136 units

Westport/Belmullet MD: five sites - 53 units

The update was given to members of the council's housing strategic policy committee by head of housing Olivia Gallagher after a request for information on land acquisitions by the local authority.

The land bank is at various stages, from feasibility and design up.

Additionally, the council is actively pursing land across the county for housing, with seven sites at the moment with potential for 209 units.

Lands are identified by staff members, through land agents and other government agents, with offers of land also coming in via private owners and estate agents.

The point was made by director of services Tom Gilligan that it was OK acquiring land but they need agencies such as Uisce Éireann to deliver the services needed for building.

Committee chairperson Councillor Peter Flynn was concerned that where once the council had a significant land bank for residential and commercial development, that now seemed to be gone.

On the Westport-Belmullet MD figures, the potential there was only 18 units, he said, due to lack of services - a potential 22 on the Lodge Road not having a footpath and 13 in Louisburgh not usable due to the water utility.

That, he said, was a stark message.

A report was needed, said Councillor Flynn, on how they were going to deal with the shortage of land banks around the county.

(Funded under the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme).