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Housing Services

Affordable Housing - Expressions of Interest


Affordable Housing - Expression of Interest in the towns of Castlebar and Westport for Building Contractors and Housing Developers

Mayo County Council are seeking expressions of interest for the delivery of new dwellings for affordable housing in the following towns:

  • Castlebar
  • Westport

In this call, building contractors and housing developers are being asked to consider offering properties with planning permission to Mayo County Council under an advance purchase turnkey arrangement.

This call is targeted at advance purchase opportunities for a minimum of 10 dwellings in any one scheme. Please note that Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 as amended applies. 

How Mayo County Council can help you in this process:

Where proposals for affordable housing are received and considered acceptable, Mayo County Council will make an application to the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) under the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage for a subsidy to assist in meeting the cost of delivery of affordable purchase housing.

The AHF funding is dependent on several criteria and 3 funding limits. Please refer to the below table.

Scheme Density

Subsidy Limit

Dwellings in schemes with a net density of over 50 dwellings per hectare in cities designated under the National Planning Framework

€100,000

Dwellings in schemes with a net density of over 35 dwellings and under 50 dwellings per hectare in all urban areas

€75,000

Dwellings in schemes with a net density of less than 35 dwellings per hectare

€50,000

- Where mixed tenure schemes are provided (affordable/social) there is a requirement that no more than 30% of the scheme is allocated to social, where mixed tenure schemes over 40 units are proposed.

- Affordable Purchase dwellings must achieve a minimum of 15% discount.

- Individual unit all-in development costs must not exceed the upper limits set out under the Affordable Housing Fund. The upper limits will differ according to scheme density and location. 

- The Affordable Housing Fund application is subject to approval by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Once funding is agreed, we can enter into an advanced purchase agreement with you. The advance purchase agreement provides for the direct sale of homes by the developer to an eligible purchaser nominated by the local authority. Mayo County Councill will assess the affordable purchaser’s eligibility and nominate them to you.

- Mayo County Council will release the subsidy to you on completion of the sale.

Pleasesubmit a completed Expression of Interest Application Form as soon as possible but no later than 1st November, 2024.

Submissions can be sent by email to affordablehousing@mayococo.ie or in a sealed envelope marked and addressed: 
Expressions of Interest, Affordable Housing Scheme, Housing, Mayo County Council, College House, Station Road, Swinford, Co Mayo.

For further details please contact:
Housing Department,
Mayo County Council.
Email: affordablehousing@mayococo.ie 

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