Nama developer Gannon gets local area plan approval for Swords project
The north county Dublin town of Swords is to get a substantial new neighbourhood following a decision by Fingal County Council to approve a local area plan for 270 acres along the link road between Swords and Ashbourne. The site is 4km (2.4 miles) from Swords and will eventually have a population of about 10,000.
Members of Fingal County Council decided by 17 votes to six to accept the local area plan for the Oldtown/Mooretown area, which will open the way for the development of 3,400 family homes, a local shopping centre, a regional park and other infrastructural facilities.
The enclave will also have three or four primary schools, as well as a secondary school. The decision to proceed with the development has been welcomed by Gannon Developments, which has owned most of the land for 12 to 14 years.
Architects Conroy Crowe Kelly are to lodge a planning application in October or November for the first phase of the housing scheme.
Approval of the local area plan will allow Gannon to develop 2,800 family homes as well as a 2,500sq m (26,910sq ft) shopping complex. Bank loans given to Gannon Developments, including those for the Swords lands, were recently transferred to Nama. Contacted yesterday, Gerry Gannon, the head of the company, said the adoption of the local area plan for its landholdings in Swords was “a good decision for me and a good decision for Nama”.
