Tánaiste opens 32 affordable homes in Bray, Co. Wicklow

An Tánaiste, Simon Harris TD, officially opened Albert Place, Bray, Wicklow, marking the addition of 32 homes in the county.

The development comprises 29 Cost Rental homes and 3 social homes, providing high-quality accommodation for 51 new residents.

The Tánaiste was joined by Respond’s CEO, Aoife Watters, and Cathaoirleach of Wicklow Cllr Melanie Corrigan.

Delivered by Respond, Ireland’s largest construction-led Approved Housing Body and service provider, the scheme was completed in two phases in late 2025.

The three social homes have been allocated to households on Wicklow County Council’s housing waiting list. The 29 Cost Rental homes were allocated through a lottery system. Rents are set at least 25% below local market rates, offering secure and affordable alternatives for people.

Cost Rental is an affordable housing tenure, available to have a household income of less than €66,000 (net) in Dublin and €59,000 (net) in rest of the country per annum, with rents set at least 25% below market rate in the area.

These homes were built in partnership with Wicklow County Council, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the Housing Finance Agency and the Housing Agency. Construction was led by O’Flynn Construction Ltd and MDP Architects.

The development was completed in late 2025 and funded with Government support using the Capital Advance Leasing Facility to deliver social homes, Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) to help make the Cost Rental homes affordable and long-term loans from the Housing Finance Agency.

The mixed tenure development comprises:

• 16 one-bedroom apartments
• 16 two-bedroom apartments

Community at its core

Designed with tenants’ quality of life at its centre, apartments are energy-efficient A-rated BER and located within walking distance of local amenities. Albert Place is located within a five-minute walk of Bray DART Station and is served by the 45A, L14 and L12 bus routes. Residents have easy access to Dublin city centre, alongside local amenities including Bray Seafront, People’s Park, Bray Institute of Further Education, and a range of schools, cafes and recreational facilities.

Tenants also experience continuous support from Respond’s Tenant Experience Team, helping to build a strong sense of community from the outset.

Each home at Albert Place combines modern design with practical living, featuring open plan layouts, large windows, high-spec appliances and smart storage solutions.

Niamh Randall, Spokesperson for Respond said:

“A secure, affordable home is the foundation for people to build their lives. Today is about more than delivering apartments at Albert Place – it’s about creating a place where people feel settled, supported and part of a connected community. From the moment tenants receive their keys, our Tenant Experience team works alongside them to ensure they feel at home. That early support makes a lasting difference.”

Respond in Wicklow

Respond currently provides homes for over 20,000 people in more than 9,000 homes across Ireland. This includes 195 homes in the Wicklow constituency with 483 tenants.