The Land Development Agency

The Land Development Agency (LDA) was launched in September 2018. The objective of the new agency was to build 150,000 new homes over the next 20 years, and to strategically manage public land.

The LDA is a state-owned commercial body. It was originally envisioned that the agency would deliver 10% social, 30% affordable, with 60% private homes at open market prices on sites across the State.

In October 2019 the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government commenced pre legislative scrutiny of the original version of the LDA.

The Committee published its report in December 2019. The report made 47 recommendations on how the LDA could be improved.

Fast forward to February 2021. The current Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien has published the Fianna Fáil version of the LDA legislation. The Minister has by-passed pre-legislative scrutiny and the Land Development Agency Bill 2021 is currently making its way through the Oireachtas.

In the meantime, the LDA has not been idle while waiting for its legal status. The LDA website states that the agency is active on 11 sites across the State. There is also the prospect of LDA involvement in St. Teresa’s Gardens, in Dublin 8.

While the final shape of the Land Development Agency is not yet clear, there are significant concerns around the legislation that have been flagged. The land management functions are weak, the is no definition of affordability, the commercial activities of the Agency will be beyond the scope of the FOI and Lobby Acts, the LDA will have to pay full market value for the land it is offered; and elected councillors will be stripped of their powers to vote on land transfers from Local Authorities to the LDA.

 

Useful LDA Links