Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 May 2020
1255. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of developments that have sought planning under the strategic housing development guidelines in 2019 and to date in 2020; the number of the sites that have commenced development; and the number and type of residential units, that is, build-to-rent, co-living, student accommodation, houses and so on, due to be delivered. [4484/20]
View answerUnder the Government's Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan on Housing and Homelessness, the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 (the Act) introduced new streamlined arrangements to enable planning applications for strategic housing developments (SHDs) of 100 housing units or more, or student accommodation or shared accommodation developments of 200 bed spaces or more, to be made directly to An Bord Pleanála (the Board) for determination.
The Board received 119 SHD applications in 2019 and 26 in the first quarter of 2020, in respect of a total of 41,800 homes (comprising 9,799 houses, 25,509 apartments and 6,492 Build to Rent homes), 5,455 student bed spaces and 516 shared accommodation bed spaces. The Board has issued decisions in 106 of these cases to date, granting permission in 89 cases in respect of a total of 25,208 homes (comprising 5,349 houses, 14,405 apartments and 5,454 Build to Rent homes), 4,327 student bed spaces and 294 shared accommodation bed spaces. 16 of these SHD applications (106 decided cases, less the 89 cases granted permission and 1 application withdrawn) were refused. The remaining 39 applications (119 applications in 2019 plus 26 applications in Q1 2020, less the 106 applications already decided) remained under consideration by the Board.
Of the 89 applications that were granted permission in 2019 and the first quarter of 2020, it is understood that commencement notices have been lodged in respect of 15 of these projects to date. A total of 3,874 homes were permitted in the developments in respect of which commencement notices have been lodged (comprising 1,517 houses, 2,068 apartments and 289 Build to Rent homes), as well as 603 student bed spaces.
