Vol. 508 No. 1
561 Mr. Hayes asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government his views, if any, in connection with the implementation of the guidelines for residential density by local authorities in areas where there is an acute shortage of housing supply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17350/99]
Draft guidelines for planning authorities on residential density were published in March this year for public consultation and local authorities were asked to take them on board. A wide range of interested bodies, including local and other statutory authorities and non-governmental organisations, availed of the opportunity to comment on the guidelines. The overall thrust of the guidelines received general support. All comments received were considered in preparing the final guidelines and it was possible to take on board many of the issues raised. The final version of the guidelines was published yesterday and copies are available in the Oireachtas Library.
The guidelines are intended to assist planning authorities, An Bord Pleanála, developers and the general public by providing guidance on the benefits of higher residential density in appropriate locations and on the safeguards required in promoting greater residential density generally.
The guidelines are one element of the Government's continuing response to the issue of house prices and housing supply and give effect to Government policy of encouraging more sustainable urban development through the avoidance of excessive suburbanisation and the promotion of higher residential densities in appropriate locations, especially in conjunction with improved public transport systems. The application of appropriate densities in accordance with the guidelines will help to achieve optimal use of available land particularly in locations such as Dublin where land supply is limited and demand for housing is very high.
In relation to implementation, it is through the development plan and the exercise of their development control functions that planning authorities can take effective action to achieve higher levels of residential density. It is too early yet to get a full picture of the impact of the draft guidelines in the six months since their issue. However, in issuing the final guidelines, I have asked planning authorities to review and vary their development plans to give full effect to the recommendations and policies contained in the guidelines, where they have not already done so. The local authorities and An Bord Pleanála have been told that the guidelines are policies to which planning authorities under section 7(1) of the Local Government Act, 1991, and An Bord Pleanála under section 5 of the Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1976, are obliged to have regard. I have asked planning authorities to forward to my Department by the end of 1999, details of their proposals to ensure implementation of the guidelines.
