Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 June 2021
598. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if legislation in respect of strategic housing developments will not be reintroduced following the expiration of said legislation on 31 December 2021 as outlined by the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications and Minister for Transport to Dáil Éireann on 20 May 2021 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31058/21]
View answerThe 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 for determination.
The Programme for Government - Our Shared Future commits to not extending the SHD arrangements beyond their legislative expiry date of end December 2021, which has now been extended to 25 February 2022 arising from the Covid-related extension of duration of statutory deadlines within the planning system by 8 weeks in respect of the period March to May 2020.
Work is ongoing on the development of new legislative proposals for the wind-up of the current SHD arrangements and the submission of large-scale housing planning applications (including student accommodation) to local planning authorities. It is intended to publish a General Scheme in this regard as soon as possible.
