The Land Development Agency (LDA) has announced the acquisition of a significant urban regeneration site in Cookstown in Tallaght in Dublin 24.
Subject to planning permission, the 3.95-hectare (9.76-acre) site has the potential to deliver over 700 new homes along with associated amenities, facilities and a pocket park.
The site was acquired from a private seller as part of the LDA’s private site acquisition initiative, which was announced in August 2023. As part of this initiative, the LDA is targeting the purchase of privately-owned sites with significant housing potential to add to its landbank of State-owned land and local authority partnership sites.
To date, the Agency has purchased privately-owned land in Clongriffin and Baldoyle in north Dublin as well as the Royal Liver site on the Naas Road in Dublin 12. These sites and the new Cookstown site now have the potential to deliver 5,800 homes. In addition, the LDA also recently announced the acquisition of a site in the Lehaunstown Lane in Cherrywood, Dublin 18 with the potential for 350 new homes.
The Cookstown site is currently zoned for regeneration. Design and planning work will commence immediately and, subject to planning permission, the LDA is seeking to have construction underway by 2028.
The site is located off the Belgard Road at the northeastern edge of Cookstown Industrial Estate. It fronts onto the Old Belgard Road and is currently occupied by industrial buildings, totalling 165,000 sq ft.
The location is next to a recently developed Amazon AWS data centre and the surrounding area is predominantly commercial with a number of low-rise warehouse facilities, meaning there is a significant opportunity to achieve a net biodiversity gain across the site.
The acquired site benefits from excellent transport connectivity. It is located about 600 metres from the Belgard LUAS stop and 1.5 kilometres from the Cookstown LUAS stop, both on the LUAS Red Line. This line connects the area directly to key locations including Tallaght University Hospital, St. James’s Hospital, Heuston Station, Connolly Station, Busáras, and The Point in Dublin 1.
Road connectivity is equally strong. The site offers easy access to the M50 via Katharine Tynan Road and is served by the R113 Belgard Road, which includes a dedicated cycle lane providing seamless cycling access to Tallaght and Dublin city.
The site benefits from its proximity to Sean Walsh Memorial Park, a substantial green space situated at the heart of the community. In addition, it is conveniently located near several other notable natural amenities, including the scenic Bohernabreena Reservoir Park, the expansive Tymon Park, and the Dodder Valley Park. Collectively, these green spaces provide a rich variety of recreational opportunities and contribute significantly to local residents’ quality of life.
The location is also close to a high number of major employment centres, including Tallaght University Hospital, TU Dublin – Tallaght Campus, Cookstown Industrial Estate, The Square Town Centre, Citywest Business Campus and Baldonnell Business Park.
Given its strategic location and excellent access to key infrastructure, the site is ideally positioned to accommodate a high-quality residential development. It also offers a unique opportunity to advance the ongoing regeneration of the Tallaght area, particularly by transforming underutilised industrial lands. This aligns directly with the objectives set out in the Tallaght Local Area Plan 2020, which identifies the revitalisation of the industrial area as a central priority.
John Coleman, Chief Executive of the Land Development Agency said: “We are pleased to announce this latest land purchase. Our private land acquisition initiative allows us to identify and acquire high potential sites with an emphasis on regeneration and unlocking underutilised land for the provision of affordable housing. Through transfers of State-owned land, partnerships with local authorities and through our own land acquisitions, the LDA now has a strong delivery pipeline, and we are progressing all our sites as quickly as possible. Tallaght is a fast-developing and well-located area of Dublin with a pressing housing need. We will now seek to consult widely with the local community in Cookstown and work closely with South Dublin County Council to progress this site to construction.”
Colm Ward, Chief Executive of South Dublin County Council said: “This positive development continues progress on the regeneration of Cookstown as well as having the potential to deliver significant numbers of new affordable and social homes. We are pleased that the LDA has made this acquisition and, subject to planning processes, we look forward to working together in shaping the future of a thriving new district in the centre of Tallaght.”
