– Ballymore Ireland – Delivering quality homes while championing Irish businesses and biodiversity
Patrick Phelan, Managing Director, Ballymore Ireland, speaks with ROBBIE COUSINS about the key role Irish suppliers play in the developer’s success and outlines what he sees as barriers to delivering new homes that the government can and must address.
Founded in Kildare in 1982 by Sean Mulryan and Bernadine Mulryan, Ballymore is a leading force in the Irish, UK and continental real estate landscape. To date, it has delivered over 35,000 homes across Ireland, the UK, and Europe. With a deep-rooted commitment to the Irish market, Ballymore has consistently invested in the nation’s construction sector, driving economic growth and shaping the urban fabric.
In 2021, Ballymore appointed Patrick Phelan as managing director of its Irish operations. This appointment coincided with a surge in activity for the company, encompassing suburban residential developments and several ambitious mixed-use projects in the heart of Dublin. Phelan, a seasoned real estate professional with over 25 years of experience across the UK, Ireland, and the US, brought a wealth of expertise to the role. Before taking up his current position, he served as director of corporate finance for the company in London.
Ballymore and Guaranteed Irish House
Ballymore’s confidence in Irish enterprise is solidified by a recent partnership with Guaranteed Irish, a move that underscores Ballymore’s commitment to bolstering local supply chains and supporting domestic businesses.
The collaboration between Ballymore and Guaranteed Irish is centred around the Guaranteed Irish House initiative and aims to champion local businesses and prioritise sustainability within Ballymore’s developments.
Guaranteed Irish House is an invaluable resource, connecting developers, specifiers, and contractors with a comprehensive directory of Irish-based suppliers. Currently, a substantial 60% of the products utilised in Ballymore’s projects originate from Guaranteed Irish members, a figure that the company is determined to significantly increase in the years to come.
Commenting on the partnership, Patrick Phelan emphasised its alignment with Ballymore’s core values: “Working with Guaranteed Irish aligns with our dedication to sustainability and community engagement. By tapping into the Guaranteed Irish House directory, we ensure our developments meet the highest standards and positively contribute to the Irish economy and local communities. We are excited to deepen this partnership and increase the use of local products and services in our projects.
“By engaging Guaranteed Irish suppliers, we safeguard the reliability and efficiency of our supply chain with whom we share a common goal of delivering energy-efficient homes at a reasonable cost. This collaboration will result in long-term relationships built on mutual understanding, enabling us to unlock challenges together and maintain the highest standards for Ballymore-delivered homes.”
He adds that Irish suppliers are integral to Ballymore’s success, providing innovation, flexibility, and an outstanding safety record. “Their responsiveness ensures quality and design excellence, while repeated collaboration and scale reduce costs for our customers. Their commitment to sustainability and training apprentices fosters the next generation of tradespeople, aligning with Ballymore’s focus on sustainable growth and high standards.”
Ballymore Ireland
In 2024, Ballymore made significant progress with projects across Ireland, completing homes at landmark projects such as Seamount Rise, Malahide; Station Walk, Newbridge; and Stonehaven, Naas, and launching homes at the Sea Gardens coastal community in Bray.
Patrick Phelan says Ballymore plans to commence between 500 and 1,000 homes in the coming year, subject to planning and utility connections.
Phelan comments: “Over the next few years, we plan to expand our Irish portfolio with a pipeline of new homes across the country, including projects at Old Connell and Confey in Co Kildare, and in Mullingar, Co Westmeath.
“We have just completed a private apartment scheme in Malahide, of which we are very proud. However, unless government supports are forthcoming, it will be very difficult to make our next apartment scheme both affordable and viable in the current environment.”
Notwithstanding the challenges associated with apartment schemes, by continuing to embrace sustainability and innovation, he adds that Ballymore aims to deliver vibrant, connected communities while advancing carbon reduction strategies and enhancing local biodiversity.
Innovation and sustainability at Ballymore
Key Ballymore initiatives that involve its Irish supply chain include growing sustainability practices and improving safety standards.
“Using modern methods of construction, we have focused on reducing the embedded carbon in construction materials and processes while advancing biodiversity through ecological features such as wildlife corridors, swift homes and enhanced green spaces.”
Patrick Phelan places biodiversity at the heart of Ballymore’s vision for sustainable communities.
“Our biodiversity initiatives include wildlife corridors, native landscaping, and habitats for species such as bats and birds. For instance, at Seamount Rise in Malahide, we’ve created a biodiversity area with a flourishing wildflower meadow, Scots pine and birch trees to support local ecosystems.”
He adds, “Similarly, at River Walk in Ballymore Eustace, we’ve partnered with the Tidy Towns Committee to enhance local walkways and establish biodiversity ponds. Accessible green spaces, like Seamount Rise’s natural-material playground, blend seamlessly with the environment while providing inclusive amenities for residents.”
Mapping Ballymore’s green infrastructure
By leveraging better data, Ballymore has mapped out the green infrastructure of its projects, categorising biodiversity value from wetlands and watercourses to forestry and protected habitats. “This in-depth understanding enables us to enhance and preserve these ecosystems in meaningful ways.”
Ballymore’s commitment extends to innovative projects like the Miyawaki mini-forest initiative at Sea Gardens. – the first urban forest in a new development in which it planted 1,500 trees. “This is part of our ongoing support for the ambitious ‘100 Million Trees’ programme. Under this partnership, we will review all developments moving forward and plant more urban mini forests where viable. Local transition-year students will join us, emphasising the importance of community engagement in building a sustainable future.”
Beyond large-scale initiatives, Ballymore is incorporating biodiversity into the very fabric of its developments. From swift bricks and bee bricks to creating habitats for specific species, it is also embedding nature into urban spaces. A notable example is the installation of a peregrine falcon nest on the roof of 8th Lock in Dublin, demonstrating how modern urban construction can support biodiversity.
Patrick Phelan expands further on the issue: “Ballymore views biodiversity as a crucial element of sustainable development, ensuring our projects not only meet environmental standards but also create a lasting positive impact on ecosystems and communities.”
Ballymore’s supply chain
Returning to the subject of the importance of having a good relationship with its supply chain, Patrick Phelan says that Ballymore recognises that its success is inextricably linked to the strength of its supply chain and its links with suppliers and subcontractors.
“We actively work alongside them to achieve high standards, incorporating innovative products and practices into our projects. The supply chain landscape is constantly evolving, and we acknowledge that much of the data driving improvements in efficiency and sustainability stems from our partners’ processes. In fact, the critical insights that drive our progress often originate from within the supply chain – nine times out of 10, it’s their expertise that helps us improve.”
This ongoing collaboration enables Ballymore to adopt more efficient construction methods and practices, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
“By working together, we ensure that Ballymore and our partners stay at the cutting edge of sustainable, efficient construction.”
Government intervention
With a new government in place, Patrick Phelan is clear on what he thinks the government needs to do to enable developers, such as Ballymore, to build up the nation’s new housing stock.
“It is all about supply. The new government should focus on initiatives that bridge the viability gap, particularly for private sale apartments. These initiatives must assist homebuyers with targeted financial support or incentives.
“This sector faces the greatest challenge with development costs exceeding sales prices. By helping to make apartment development more financially viable, they can accelerate delivery, and we can start to meet demand for well-located and affordable housing.”
Construction outlook
One of Patrick Phelan’s main concerns for the industry is the low availability of zoned and serviced land, which is also significantly driving up the cost of houses. “Ireland has not invested enough in the targeted infrastructure necessary to support delivery targets. The zoning process is laborious, and land that is currently zoned is often not ready for development. We need to take a more flexible approach, beginning with an assessment of the quantity of zoned and serviced land. Once a proper evaluation is carried out, I believe it will become evident that there isn’t enough such land to fulfil Ireland’s housing needs.”
National Planning Framework Review
Patrick Phelan emphasises the urgent need for the new government to expedite its review of the National Planning Framework. He argues that a swift review is crucial to ensure that zoned land is effectively utilised for housing development.
“We need to speed up the review of the National Planning Framework to ensure that zoned land can be built on and is available to housebuilders for development. We believe it’s vital to focus in more depth on how the Framework has (or has not) translated into the delivery of housing units in a timely and sustainable manner.”
He adds that addressing the current climate of uncertainty surrounding planning and rent control is paramount and points to the dearth of such investments over the past two years as evidence that current regulations have diminished Ireland’s appeal to institutional investors.
“We need to reduce uncertainty, particularly around planning and rent control – the latter to support investment from pension funds into long-term housing stock.
“The lack of such transactions over the past two years shows that current regulations have made Ireland less attractive to such investors.”
He highlights that Ireland’s current rent control regime is among the most stringent in Europe and acknowledges the inherent difficulty in reversing such measures. However, he emphasises the need for a comprehensive assessment of existing regulations. He also calls for a more balanced approach that encourages investment in rental housing while safeguarding the rights of existing tenants.
“Ireland has one of the most punitive regimes in Europe. While rent control is difficult to unwind, we must assess existing measures and amend accordingly to create a more balanced environment that supports investment in rental housing while protecting existing tenants,” Patrick Phelan concludes.