Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 July 2017
1316. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the steps he has taken to ensure that businesses sell long-term vacant units in town centres in Enniscorthy and Wexford town; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34410/17]
View answerDecisions in relation to the sale of vacant commercial units are primarily a matter for the property owners concerned in the first instance and ones in which I do not have a statutory function.
The Programme for a Partnership Government, published in May 2016, includes a commitment to examine reclassifying and incentivising the use of underutilised or vacant areas over ground floor premises in urban areas, for both residential and commercial use. A key objective of Pillar 5 of the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, launched in July 2016, is to ensure that existing housing stock is used to the maximum degree possible and focuses on measures to use existing vacant stock to renew urban and rural areas.
Specifically, Action 5.9 of Rebuilding Ireland commits to reviewing planning legislation to allow the change of use of vacant commercial units in urban areas, including vacant or under-utilised areas over ground-floor premises, into residential units without having to go through the planning process. This proposal is also incorporated in Action 6 of the Action Plan for Rural Development, launched in January 2017. My Department is presently progressing the drafting of the necessary revisions to the planning regulations to give effect to this action and it is intended that the new regulations, which will require the approval of both Houses of the Oireachtas, will be made as soon as possible in the Autumn.
Question No. 1317 answered with Question No. 45.
