Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 July 2021
367. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he plans to review the National Planning Framework Implementation Roadmap and the Housing Supply Target Methodology for Development Planning, Guidelines for Planning Authorities 2020 in view of the permanent changes being brought about to lifestyles due to Covid-19 and its impact on spatial planning; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38015/21]
View answer368. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he plans to review the Guidance Note on Core Strategies, November 2010 in view of the permanent changes being brought about to lifestyles due to Covid-19 and its impact on spatial planning; when he plans to do this in view of the fact that most county and city plans will be adopted in the next two years and the effect up-to-date guidance could have on these plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38016/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 367 and 368 together.
One of the key responsibilities of a local authority is planning for the infrastructure, employment and services needed to sustainably support citizens and local communities in the future. Providing an accurate, consistent and integrated estimate of housing need at county level in Ireland is critical to the functioning of our planning system. National Policy Objective (NPO) 36 of the NPF confirms the importance of an integrated approach to population and housing in the planning system.
In line with that objective, statutory ‘Housing Supply Target Methodology for Development Planning, Guidelines for Planning Authorities’ issued to all local authorities in December 2020. The Guidelines introduced a standardised national approach, based on ESRI data published in December, to be applied by each planning authority in projecting housing supply targets for a specific six-year period, when reviewing city or county development plans. The Guidelines were a timely intervention to assist local authorities in this regard, all of whom have commenced the statutory review of their County or City Development Plan and this process will continue into 2022, overseen by the Office of the Planning Regulator.
As each six-year development plan period will differ, new household projection data for each County to 2031 was also made available to each local authority to enable local projections and targets to be applied for the relevant period. The housing supply target methodology also provides for a convergence period towards the NPF scenario to 2026, recognising that housing demand projections associated with existing spatial patterns (i.e. the baseline) will need a period to align with the NPF strategy projection. This also enables planning for increased housing supply in certain circumstances within the period to 2026, as set out in Section 4 of the Guidelines, where supported by a justification within the criteria specified. All related correspondence and data is available on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/6d48f-ministerial-letter-to-local-authorities-structural-housing-demand-in-ireland-and-housing-supply-targets/
My Department will also shortly publish Draft Development Plan Guidelines for public consultation. The review process and the development of these new guidelines will further assist with the translation of the NPF policy objectives to regional and local levels of plan making and will replace the previous guidance note on core strategies.
As the Country emerges from Covid-19 my Department will continue to monitor changes arising. It is certainly not the case that all Covid-related changes will be permanent, but it is clear that there will be ongoing demand for significantly increased housing output throughout Ireland, which is what the ESRI data on which the Housing Supply Target Methodology has indicated and has been communicated to all local authorities.
Accordingly, I am satisfied that there is appropriate up to date guidance available to local authorities to prepare their development plans that will underpin sustainable development in the coming years.
