Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 July 2023
327. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing; Local Government and Heritage the reason the ‘Housing Lands Availability Survey (HLAS) was not updated to accommodate the most recent residential lands identified. [34202/23]
View answer328. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to what degree it can be demonstrated that the ‘broad-brush’ approach of the residential zoned land tax scoping maps is going to contribute to the provision of additional housing, over and above that which would or could be achieved by a more forensic and detailed approach, (along the lines of the ‘Housing Lands Availability Survey’ HLAS approach), which would identify the actual developable sites, which are currently laying fallow or being hoarded. [34204/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 327 and 328 together.
In conjunction with local authorities, a study to identify zoned land for residential development in statutory local authority development plans and local area plans across Ireland was undertaken in 2014. The study identified the location and quantity of such undeveloped housing lands at 31st March 2014 and also where such lands were prioritised or phased for development as indicated under the relevant Development or Local Area Plan.
The ‘Residential Land Availability Survey’ (RLAS) was published in February 2015 and identified that there were c. 17,434 hectares of zoned residential land which could theoretically enable the construction of over 414,000 dwellings nationally. However, the RLAS was strategic in nature and was not based on a sufficiently comprehensive or detailed assessment of the infrastructural capacity of residentially zoned lands to support housing development, which is a critical factor in the activation of housing lands for residential delivery. In addition the RLAS did not take into account mixed use zoned land or other residential zonings that might not have been identified as ‘undeveloped’.
The Finance Act 2021 introduced Part, 22A Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT), into the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997. The RZLT is a land activation measure identified in Housing for All (HfA) and is aimed at increasing housing supply by prompting residential development by landowners, of land that is zoned for residential or mixed-use (including residential) purposes and that is serviced. HfA sets out that 33,000 units are required per annum to respond to housing need across the State.
Under the RZLT legislation, all residential zonings fall into scope, subject to certain exceptions, and land identified as ‘vacant or idle’ within mixed use zonings where residential development is permitted in principle also falls into scope.
The residential and mixed use (including residential) zonings are considered to reflect the housing need set out within the core strategy of the development plan for the relevant local authority area. Furthermore, in addition to activating greenfield land banks, RZLT will encourage development of infill lands or undeveloped land which could be used for housing within existing settlements in line with the NPF objective for residential development to take place on brownfield lands or within existing development boundaries.
The zoning of land for particular purposes such as residential or mixed uses within a development plan to meet housing need is solely a matter for each local authority.
All 31 local authorities are responsible for the publication of maps to identify lands in scope for the RZLT and have accordingly undertaken specific infrastructural assessments of their zoned lands in conjunction with infrastructural providers such as Uisce Éireann. The publication of the finalised RZLT maps in December 2023 will provide a robust dataset of lands that are both zoned for residential development and which have the required supporting infrastructure to enable housing to come forward.
