Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 6 May 2021
78. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will take measures to prevent co-living housing developments given the recent approval of such developments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23529/21]
View answerOn being appointed, as Minister I undertook a review of co-living development and indicated in a letter dated 23 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.
This preferred approach was subject to the requisite environmental assessment processes, including Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) screening process in accordance with Regulations that give effect to the EU SEA Directive and which require a mandatory four-week consultation with the relevant environmental authorities. The consultation period was completed on 21 December 2020 and gave rise to no further issues.
Accordingly, I issued a further letter 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 Act). These are available on the website at the following link: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/9e2f1-ministerial-letter-to-local-authorities-updated-apartment-guidelines-to-give-effect-to-restrictions-on-co-living-development/
The updated apartment guidelines now include a Specific Planning Policy Requirement (SPPR) for a presumption against granting planning permission for co-living/shared accommodation development, and replace the previous, 2018 version of the guidelines. The December 2020 changes relate solely to the ‘Shared Accommodation’ (Co-living) aspects of the guidance.
Any co-living planning application or appeal arising from an application made prior to finalising updated Ministerial guidance on 23rd December 2020 must be assessed on the basis of the guidance that was in place when the planning application was made. Otherwise, as Minister I would have been using the guidance to interfere with ongoing planning processes, which is specifically precluded under Section 30 of the Planning and Development Act. Any planning applications and consequent appeals, or SHD applications made after the date of publication of the updated guidelines, are subject to the updated guidelines.
