Affordable Housing
South Lotts Road has been selected due to its central location, which avoids the challenges often associated with peripheral sites, such as poor transport connectivity and limited access to amenities. The site is currently owned by the Electricity Supply Board (ESB), a semi-state body established in 1927. The majority of the ESB is government-owned, with the remaining shares held through an Employee Shared Ownership Plan (ESOP).
The site is classified as Class 2 – Moderately Constrained, indicating medium- to long-term development potential. In addition, it has been designated as a Strategic Development and Regeneration Area (SDRA), which facilitates land acquisition and negotiation processes for construction and development companies.
This proposal responds to the ongoing housing crisis, which requires the government to deliver approximately 30,000 homes per year up to 2030. These homes must be affordable, well located, and comprise a balanced mix of tenures, including social housing, affordable housing, private rental, and private ownership. Many households are currently caught in the middle, unable to afford a first home or secure suitable accommodation to settle and raise a family, while social housing supply also remains insufficient.
The South Lotts Road site can accommodate all these criteria and has the capacity to deliver approximately 200–270 new homes currently ranking as number 19th out of 25 in terms of housing yield.
From the workflow map above, the Clip tool was used most frequently throughout the analysis. The Apportion Polygon tool was particularly useful in creating the demographic maps for the Small Areas. Parks were digitised by creating polygon features, allowing an assessment of how much land is accessible to the public. Train stations were digitised as point and line features, and the Study Extent tool was used to define the area of analysis.
The Buffer tool was applied around South Lotts Road to evaluate which surrounding factors would influence or not influence the site. For GP practices and pharmacies, the X to Y Table tool was used to create point features, enabling verification of their locations in relation to the proposed development site.
To create the 3D map, DTM tiles (3320_40) were downloaded, and the relevant area was selected by location. From this data, a TIN was generated, which was then used to produce contour data.
A noise pollution model was created for the site and the surrounding main roads. This was carried out by generating Euclidean distance buffers around the site and applying an equation to produce a simplified model estimating the level of noise likely to affect the surrounding neighbourhood.
I encountered difficulties with the study area data not aligning vertically when producing the demographic maps. As a result, the analysis had to be repeated using a new study extent. However, when the data was uploaded online, the maps appeared lopsided.
In the demographic maps, the map units were set to metres while the display units were in decimal degrees, whereas the Affordable Housing map used metres for both map and display units. This inconsistency indicates a projection or coordinate system mismatch, where layers using projected coordinate systems (e.g. ITM) were displayed alongside layers in a geographic coordinate system (latitude/longitude). When shared online, this mismatch caused distortion in scale and orientation, resulting in the maps appearing skewed or lopsided across different study extents.
Story Map
https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/210c8e1cfb5740c28e9a8916a2767f55
I believe that South Lotts Road represents a strong site for development, with accessibility being its most significant asset for both future residents and construction workers. The site benefits from excellent connectivity and proximity to key services.
The only amenity absent within the 1,000 m buffer is a fire station. However, this is not considered a major constraint, as the fire station located south of Herbert Park and within the wider study area should provide adequate coverage.
While the initial analysis did not include a detailed assessment of supermarket provision, the site is clearly well served. A Tesco is located at the end of South Lotts Road, while Lotts & Co., a specialist greengrocer, offers a higher-end alternative. Together, these amenities cater to a range of budgets and consumer needs.
The primary concern that could delay or constrain development is flood risk, particularly in relation to sea-level rise caused by global warming. The site lies below four metres above sea level, which raises concerns regarding long-term resilience. A recent housing development adjacent to Sean Moore Park includes land that is also below four metres, suggesting that flood-risk assessments were undertaken prior to approval. Nonetheless, a thorough review by the Office of Public Works (OPW) would be essential before proceeding. It is also worth noting that much of Boston is built on reclaimed land and lies at or below sea level, demonstrating that development in such conditions is feasible when appropriately managed
Despite the site’s strengths, other locations with a higher residential yield should arguably be prioritised. For example, the ESB Gateway Car Park has the potential to deliver between 500 and 790 homes and may warrant earlier development.
From a demographic perspective, the site performs well. It lies within a ring of economically active residents aged approximately 19–44, just outside the city centre. Its location within an affluent area aligns with demand from individuals seeking to rent or purchase homes. Furthermore, the Affordable Housing Scheme reduces the risk of bulk purchasing by investment funds, helping to maintain a balanced residential mix.
The site itself contains sparsely distributed buildings, which is advantageous as there is no history of planning refusals that might complicate redevelopment. Analysis of the 3D terrain model indicates no issues with gradient. While several national monuments and heritage sites are located nearby, they are sufficiently distant to avoid adverse impacts from construction activity. The site is zoned Zone 1, classifying it as a sustainable residential neighbourhood.
In conclusion, the only significant constraint is the risk of fluvial flooding from the River Dodder and long-term sea-level rise. This project highlights both the urgency of the housing crisis and the challenges faced by the government in managing it. Overall, the site is suitable for development, subject to a comprehensive reassessment of flood risk.
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