Key updates on Donegal housing developments at special meeting of County Council 

A number of key housing updates were presented to county councillors at a special plenary session of Donegal County Council (DCC) this week.

It was the 6th special meeting that the council had on housing since the previous October to highlight various issues arising from council housing developments around the county and to keep councillors up to speed at what was happening on the ground through the sharing of information on others in the pipeline.

The key updates since November 2023 were outlined at the meeting. 

In the Letterkenny area they were told that a project of 11 units had commenced at Killylastin, Letterkenny and is valued €4m.

The Tender process has also been completed and a contractor appointment is underway for a scheme of 30 units at Oranhill, Letterkenny. 

This would involve an 18-month construction programme.

Lands had also been acquired at Oldtown, Letterkenny, of 0.9 acres with the potential for the construction of 14 units. 

The day of the meeting had also seen contracts signed for a further turnkey development of 21 units at Windyhall, Letterkenny, with works to commence this month..

In other parts of the county, the development of 42 units had commenced at Bundoran, valued at €12.8m and a tender process completed and contractor appointment underway for a scheme of 43 units at Dungloe, valued at €15.6m. 

This build would require a 24-month construction programme.

A turnkey development had also commenced at Convoy of 24 units with a 16-month construction programme.

Three DCC projects are continuing on site, delivering a total of 64 housing units - Ballybofey (19), Lifford (29) and Buncrana (16).

Approval had also been obtained for 60 units at Lifford Common, 30 units at St. Johnston, 10 units at Tamney, and 8 units at Stranorlar. 

Three additional turnkey projects are at advanced contract stage in Ballybofey, Donegal Town and Gweedore, involving a total of  78 units.

Another project had been retendered at Raphoe with 11 units to complete works. A Contractor appointment is underway there.

3.6 acres of land had been bought at Newtowncunningham with the potential for 24-30 social housing units and the council had received a staged Departmental approval for Design & Build projects at Carndonagh, Malin and Gleneely. 

Six public information events were held for the new countywide turnkey process and six pre-planning qualification (PQQ) submissions were received. 

ABOVE: An overview of social housing developments in Donegal at present

Nine additional meetings were held with Developers and it was confirmed that €13m recouped from the Dept. of Housing since November 2023.