Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 February 2021
271. Deputy Francis Noel Duffy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if co-living developments can be granted permission if a local authority deems the development necessary as per their housing need and demand assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5262/21]
View answerOn being appointed, Minister O'Brien undertook a review of co-living development and indicated in a letter dated 23rd November 2020 to all local authorities, An Bord Pleanála and the Office of the Planning Regulator, that the preferred approach was to restrict commercial co-living development in Ireland.
Further to completion of the requisite environmental assessment processes, a subsequent letter was issued to planning authorities on 23 December 2020 giving notice that updated Sustainable Urban Housing: Design Standards for New Apartments, Guidelines for Planning Authorities December 2020, had been published as Ministerial guidance under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended).
The principal purpose of issuing the technical update to the Apartment Guidelines was to give effect to the conclusion of the review of co-living and to address ‘Shared Accommodation’ or ‘Co-living’ as set out in Section 5 of the Apartment Guidelines document, by introducing a specific planning policy requirement (SPPR 9) for a presumption against the granting of planning permission for co-living development. The Guidelines are available on the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage website at https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/9e2f1-ministerial-letter-to-local-authorities-updated-apartment-guidelines-to-give-effect-to-restrictions-on-co-living-development/
Specific Planning Policy Requirement 9 (SPPR 9) provides as follows:
There shall be a presumption against granting planning permission for shared accommodation/co-living development unless the proposed development is either:-
(i) required to meet specific demand identified by a local planning authority further to a Housing Need and Demand Assessment (HNDA) process;
or,
(ii) on the date of publication of these updated Guidelines, a valid planning application to a planning authority, appeal to An Bord Pleanála, or strategic housing development (SHD) planning application to An Bord Pleanála, in which case the application or appeal may be determined on its merits.
In conclusion, SPPR 9 includes provision for an exceptional case where a local authority identifies a specific need for shared accommodation/co-living development, further to a HNDA process. This is a matter for individual local authorities to determine. My Department will continue to monitor the emerging shared accommodation/co-living sector and in particular the delivery of any permitted developments.
