Developer seeking large-scale sites to accommodate over 1,000 homes

A property development and construction business said it's engaging in an active search for more land opportunities across Offaly and elsewhere which would be capable of supporting residential developments of 1,000 homes or more.

The company, Fitzpatrick & Heavey Homes, has already been active in Offaly, where it's been leading the construction of some 222 new homes in Birr and Tullamore, and has a existing landbank for a further 400 homes.

This week, Ciarán Fitzpatrick, CEO of Fitzpatrick & Heavey Homes, said the company had assembled a €200 million 'war chest' to acquire strategic land across the country, and that it was 'positioning itself to move quickly on large-scale opportunities as they arise'.

He said the move is part of a strategy aimed at significantly increasing housing supply and addressing the scale of the national housing shortage.

Currently, Fitzpatrick & Heavey Homes is progressing with its 147-home development at Scott's Avenue, Tullamore, including a crèche, that is located beside the Midlands Regional Hospital and adjacent to the planned Wellwood Hospital. The first finished homes at the Tullamore site were completed last summer.

A further residential development at Cappaneale Place, Birr has already completed the first two phases and phase three is underway, with 'construction progressing steadily' according to details shared by the company online.

Ciarán Fitzpatrick said the move to acquire more land opportunities across Offaly and other counties reflects a growing consensus within the sector that Ireland’s current model of housing delivery, largely focused on smaller, incremental developments is not capable of meeting demand at the pace or volume required.

He said the property developers are now targeting 'large, strategically located landbanks' that can accommodate 'high-density, master planned' communities.

"We are actively seeking sites that can deliver 1,000 plus homes because that is the level of ambition required to address Ireland's housing needs," said Fitzpatrick.

"The scale of the crisis is national and the response must match that. Continuing to rely on smaller developments alone will not deliver the volume of homes needed in the timeframe required.

"The real opportunity lies in unlocking large, strategic sites and delivering them as communities. When development happens at scale, infrastructure can be planned and delivered from the outset; transport links, schools, green spaces and utilities are all integrated into a single vision rather than added later.

"That leads to better outcomes for residents and more efficient delivery overall," he added.

Mr Fitzpatrick also pointed to the broader conditions that support large-scale delivery in Ireland, including strong housing demand, the availability of both public and private funding, and a construction sector with the capability to deliver at scale.

The key challenge, he said, lies in aligning these elements through clear national direction, improved co-ordination and a consistent focus on priority sites.

"If we are serious about solving the housing crisis, we need to move beyond incremental thinking and embrace developments that can deliver thousands of homes at a time," he said.

He is encouraging landowners, agents and stakeholders with suitable sites to get in touch.