Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 April 2021
736. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the protocols and rules in place by his Department or local authorities, if any to determine the allocation and construction of (details supplied) per town and village in any particular county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19377/21]
View answerLocal authorities consider many factors when deciding on the location and volume of housing developments in their area. The zoning of land at particular locations is an exercise undertaken as part of the overall statutory development plan function under sections 9-13 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000 (as amended). Under this legislation, the decision to zone land for development is specifically a reserved function of the elected members of the planning authority and this includes the zoning of lands for residential development in order to meet the identified housing needs of the local authority. In preparing the development plan, the consideration and decision on what particular lands to zone for housing is therefore taken by the elected members and is required to be consistent with national and regional planning policy and legislation, including as identified in the National Planning Framework, Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies and Ministerial planning guidelines.
In order to ensure that housing development can take place on lands that are zoned for development, national policy is that planning authorities would identify and zone lands that are serviced, and, lands that are considered serviceable within the timescale of the plan. It is important that zoned land can be developed as intended, as planning authorities must ensure that there is sufficient residential land available to meet identified housing needs.
Decisions relating to the location of social housing within local authorities is matter for individual local authorities, having regard to the social housing targets and the identified need for social housing in the various locations.
