Three major Wicklow housing infrastructure projects move forward as funding opens for drawdown

By Hugh O'Farrell Walsh, The Wicklow People

The government’s €1 billion Housing Infrastructure Investment Fund (HIIF) has begun to take shape on the ground, with Wicklow among the counties now able to draw down money for major road and bridge works designed to unlock future housing.

A written reply to a parliamentary question from Deputy John Brady confirms that three Wicklow projects have been approved under the first call of the scheme, and that funding is available immediately as each project progresses through the required stages.

While the allocations are still expressed in cost bands rather than final figures, the confirmation marks the first time the Department has stated that Wicklow’s projects are now in a position to claim expenditure and move toward construction.

The HIIF was launched in January as a central plank of the government’s plan to accelerate housing delivery by paying for enabling infrastructure.

The fund aims to address the fact that many sites cannot be developed until roads, bridges, utilities or access works are in place, and local authorities often struggle to fund those upfront costs.

Managed by the Housing Activation Office, the fund attracted 138 applications from 30 local authorities and the Land Development Agency. Following assessment, 82 projects were approved under Call 1, including three in Wicklow.

The first of these is the Rathnew Inner Relief Road, placed in the €10 to €20 million cost band. The road has long been identified as a key piece of infrastructure to ease pressure on the existing network and open up lands for housing. Rathnew has seen sustained growth over the past decade, and the relief road is viewed locally as essential to managing further development.

The second project is a pedestrian and cycle bridge at Fassaroe, crossing the N11/M11 near Bray, costed at under €10 million. This bridge is intended to link new housing areas with transport corridors and community facilities, reducing reliance on cars and improving safety for people moving between the two sides of the motorway.

The third project is a larger road scheme at Fassaroe, connecting the N11 to Enniskerry, placed in the over €20 million band. This route is expected to support the major strategic housing area planned for Fassaroe, where thousands of homes are envisaged over the coming years.

The minister’s reply states that funding is now available to claim vouched expenditure as projects move through the approval stages set out in the Infrastructure Guidelines and the HIIF Project Management Guidelines.

This means Wicklow County Council can begin drawing down money for design work, planning processes, site investigations and other preparatory steps before construction starts.

HIIF does not operate as a lump sum grant paid upfront. Instead, councils are reimbursed as they complete each stage, ensuring oversight and alignment with national infrastructure standards.

The minister also notes that work is ongoing on the projects as Wicklow progresses them toward construction, though no specific timelines are provided for when physical works will begin.

The minister’s reply also highlights the role of the Housing Activation Office, which will continue working with Wicklow County Council and other stakeholders to support timely progression. This office was established to help councils navigate the complex processes involved in delivering enabling infrastructure.