Landmark development coincides with organisation celebrating 50 years and trebling its annual output in 5 years

On Wednesday, 15th November 2023 at 11am  Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, TD, and Cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council, Cllr Aoife Flynn-Kennedy, officially opened 208 new social-rental homes delivered by Co-operative Housing Ireland (CHI) in Bray, Co Wicklow.  

Kilruddery Glen, Southern Cross, Bray, is the largest delivery of social-rented estates in Wicklow in 2023, one of the largest delivered by an Approved Housing Body (AHB), and the largest in the history of Co-operative Housing Ireland. The launch coincides with the housing co-operative celebrating its 50th anniversary.

o 208 homes: The largest development by an AHB in Wicklow, equivalent to the annual social housing delivery of a county the size of Wicklow

o CHI is on target to deliver a record 700+ homes in 2023, trebling its annual output in 5 years

o Celebrating its 50th Anniversary, CHI is a unique AHB with six of its board members living in a CHI homes

o Today, CHI provides 5,000 homes to nearly 14,000 people in 24 counties in partnership with 31 local authorities.

Speaking at the launch Co-operative Housing Ireland Chairperson, Pearse O’Shiel said, “208 homes is a significant development for Co-operative Housing Ireland, our largest to date. It is equivalent to the annual social housing delivery of a county the size of Wicklow. It is fitting that we mark our 50th anniversary with this achievement. We are a national organisation currently with 5,000 homes, community building in 24 counties and on target for a record delivery of over 700 homes this year.”

O’Shiel continued, “Despite a considerable increase in delivery there is now a consensus that housing output needs to increase beyond targets set in Housing for All. It is imperative that the ratio 1:2 whereby 1 in every 3 homes are social houses is maintained when delivery targets are increased next year so that we can meet housing need and provide high-quality homes to lower-income families.

Minister O’Brien said, “Co-operative Housing Ireland and others are key to achieving our housing delivery targets as set out under Housing for All. The organisation has grown, sustainably, to meet the challenge of delivering more homes. Approved Housing Bodies like Co-operative Housing Ireland have a critical role, as they will deliver approximately half of all social homes this year working in tandem with my Department. I want to wish all of the new residents here the very best of luck as they begin a new chapter of their lives in these magnificent homes.”

CHI Member Tenant, Kasha Byrne, lives in Kilruddery Glen estate with her partner and three children.  Speaking at the launch, Ms. Byrne said, “For the first time in our lives, we’re finally putting down roots.  We have a home for life, we’re not isolated, we’re part of something and we’re emotionally invested in making it a happy and thriving community now and in the future.”

Cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council, Cllr. Aoife Flynn-Kennedy stated “It’s a pleasure to be here today to celebrate the official opening of Kilruddery Glen. Developments like this help us to achieve the quality of housing that we hope for, for all of our citizens, and will contribute to the economic and social diversity of Bray and County Wicklow by creating both a more stable and more vibrant community.”

The delivery of these sustainable homes was achieved through a partnership with the Wicklow County Council, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the Housing Finance Agency, the Housing Agency, and the estate was built by residential developer, Lioncor Construction, Townmore and designed by BHA Architecture.

CHI is unique as an organisation in that all new Member tenants are part of a local co-operative, allowing them a real say, concrete input into decisions affecting their estates and communities. Member tenants have the opportunity to shape their community and nominate people to be elected to CHI’s Board thereby influencing the direction of Co-operative Housing Ireland as an organisation.