Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 May 2024
357. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will issue a circular to local authorities providing guidance on the issue of social housing tenants in Part V units and access to communal facilities in multiple-unit developments to ensure fair access to communal facilities for all residents in line with the Part V objective of promoting social integration in mixed-tenure developments. [22699/24]
View answerThe Part V mechanism is intended to achieve integrated development and reduce housing segregation by facilitating a mix of a tenure types, that is social, affordable and cost rental housing, in applicable developments on any land that is zoned residential (either exclusively or mixed use) or is granted planning permission for houses as a material contravention of the development plan.
While Part V negotiations are a matter for the relevant local authority, operating within the Ministerial Guidelines on Part V issued to local authorities under section 28 of the 2000 Act, the need to counteract undue segregation in housing between persons of different social backgrounds is a specific requirement of local authorities provided for in the 2000 Act. The Guidelines emphasise the need for consultation with developers regarding the delivery of appropriately located properties at the earliest stage possible, preferably in advance of planning. This early consultation allows local authorities to consider the need, and the likely future need, for housing for persons who have different levels of income, as well as the need to ensure that a mixture of house types and sizes is developed to reasonably match the requirements of the different categories of households, as may be determined by the local authority. I have no plans to issue further guidelines to local authorities regarding these matters at the present time.
The challenge local authorities face when negotiating Part V agreements in apartment complexes that provide additional community amenities over and above the standard open space requirements, for example gyms, cinema rooms, co-working areas etc., is that these amenities are funded by additional charges levied on top of the management company service charge. It is a matter for each local authority to decide to pay these additional amenity contribution costs from local authority funds on a case by case basis, or to explore the option for tenants to pay these costs directly to the relevant entity charging the fee. It is my understanding that generally local authorities opt out of the additional amenity levies, as these can be a significant extra cost and are not provided to tenants of other forms of social housing.
