Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 July 2023
425. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding compulsory purchase order powers of local authorities for the provision of housing; how this is being facilitated by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34305/23]
View answerTackling vacancy is a key priority for this Government and a suite of measures has been introduced to address vacancy and increase the pace at which properties are brought back into use. A number of strategic policies and objectives have been delivered including:
• The Government launched the Town Centre First policy, a major new policy initiative that aims to tackle vacancy, combat dereliction and breathe new life into our town centres.
• Full-time Vacant Homes Officers are now in place across all 31 local authorities.
• Planning regulations that exempt certain vacant commercial premises from requiring planning permission to change of use for residential purposes have been extended.
• The Government recently announced details of the €150 million fund under Call 3 of the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) to address long term vacancy and dereliction in towns and cities. Local authorities, when applying for the funding, have indicated that they could identify projects generating 4,850 residential units. Local authorities will receive a grant for the entire 100% cost of acquiring suitable properties identified within their communities, reflecting the high priority the Government has placed on boosting accommodation and tackling dereliction. The Fund complements several existing schemes to tackle vacancy and dereliction.
The Vacant Homes Action Plan, which I launched in January, outlines the significant progress that has been made in addressing vacancy along with the actions that are being pursued to return as many vacant properties back into use as possible.
As part of the Plan, my Department launched a new CPO Activation Programme in April 2023. It provides for a planned, systematic and proactive approach to bringing vacant and derelict properties into use. Targets have been set for each local authority for the number of identified vacant and derelict properties to enter the CPO Activation Programme and for the number of compulsory acquisitions to be undertaken. This Programme includes guidance and supports for local authorities to actively use their legislative powers to acquire vacant and derelict properties, where engagement with owners has been unsuccessful.
The main steps of the Programme include:
• identification of vacant and derelict properties,
• identification of and engagement with owners,
• communication regarding the various schemes and measures which are now in place to support bringing the property back into use, and
• where owners of vacant and derelict properties cannot be identified or where they are unwilling to engage, use of available legislative powers to compulsory purchase such properties.
Local authorities can compulsorily acquire a property using either the compulsory purchase powers contained within the Housing Act, 1966 and complimentary Planning and Local Government legislation, or carrying out compulsory acquisitions under the Derelict Sites Act, 1990. The processes are different under each Act and the guidance issued by my Department as part of the CPO Activation Programme supports local authorities in using their legislative powers.
Overall, there is a target of 4,000 properties entering the CPO Activation Programme in 2023. These are based on levels of vacancy in the local authority area. Of these, a target of 400 has been set for properties to enter the compulsory acquisition process, where engagement with the owner has not resulted in the vacant or derelict property being brought back into use, to be subsequently used for social housing or made available for sale on the open market.
