Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 March 2019
598. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the changes to planning guidelines he will introduce to speed up and encourage the provision of accommodation in town centres and above existing retail units in view of the fact that the current guidelines are not achieving same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10706/19]
View answerMy Department has introduced a number of initiatives aimed at encouraging and facilitating the provision of residential accommodation in town centres, including above existing retail units.
In December 2018, the Report of the Working Group on the Reuse of Existing Buildings and the Bringing Back Homes Manual for the Reuse of Existing Buildings were published. The Manual is available to download at: https://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/home-ownership/vacant-homes/vacant-homes.
The Manual is aimed at property owners, members of the public, local authorities and stakeholders in the construction industry who are interested in developing spaces within vacant buildings and bringing them into use for residential purposes. It provides clear and detailed guidance on current policy and regulatory requirements that apply to this form of development.
The manual complements new planning regulations - the Planning and Development (Amendment)(No.2) Regulations 2018 - which came into effect on 8 February 2018 and allow for the change of use of certain vacant commercial buildings to domestic use without having to go through the planning process. A copy of the Regulations is available on the Irish Statute Book website at the following link:
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2018/si/30/made/en/pdf.
Furthermore, in August 2017, I announced the establishment of a new Vacant Homes Unit in my Department to drive and co-ordinate actions at central and local government levels in addressing vacancy and to support local authorities in their actions. The Vacant Homes Unit has been supplemented by the appointment of Vacant Homes Officers in each of the 31 local authorities who have been mandated to quickly identify vacancy hotspots, particularly in areas where there is a high demand for homes, and to engage with property owners in terms of advising them of the opportunities available, including through the Repair and Leasing Scheme and the Buy and Renew Scheme, to assist in bringing vacant properties into productive use for housing purposes.
The Bringing Back Homes manual will also support the work of the Vacant Homes Officers in helping them to clarify for developers and property owners the regulatory requirements that need to be complied with in converting vacant commercial spaces into residential use, thereby helping to maintain safe, sustainable and quality standards for homes while simultaneously reducing uncertainty and complexity.
I am satisfied that there are a range of measures and supports available to encourage and facilitate the provision of residential accommodation in town centres, including the conversion of vacant commercial spaces over retail units for residential use.
