Plans to build thousands of new homes in Fingal have been welcomed by the county council.

Housing Minister Simon Coveney announced last week fast-track delivery arrangements for 30,000 new homes in major urban centres in Dublin, Cork and other urban locations around the country.

In Fingal, the Minister has identified Hansfield/Barnhill, Oldtown/Mooretown, Donabate and North City Fringe, which includes Portmarnock, Baldoyle and Balgriffin, as major delivery sites.

Plans include developing new roads, parks, recreation areas, drainage and access to public transport. Overall, up to 9,400 homes could potentially be built in the long term, with 4,800 in the short-term.

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The council has now applied for €38 million in funding under the €200 million Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund, which forms Pillar Three of the Government's Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness.

In addition, planning permission is already in place for 10,000 homes in Fingal and the council said it is continuing to ensure there is adequate zoned land in the right locations to facilitate housing, as well as economic and social development.

Director of Strategic Planning and Infrastructure, AnnMarie Farrelly, said: "The infrastructure proposals for these areas will be ready to proceed without delay once funding comes on stream.

"Homes are already under construction on a number of these sites while the distributor road in Donabate, which is a key piece of infrastructure for that area, is due to commence in the second quarter of 2017.

"While these four areas have been identified by the Government for fast-tracking as part of the Rebuilding Ireland programme, there are other prime sites across the county such as Balbriggan, Skerries, Rush and Dublin 15, where the Council is also well placed to have any necessary infrastructure delivered."

(LM/MH)