Part V of the Planning and Development Bill 1999 will require local authorities to prepare housing strategies as part of their development plans. Each housing strategy must provide for the current and future housing needs in the area of the development plan.
I have asked local authority managers to undertake preparatory work on their housing strategies in anticipation of enactment of the Bill. My Department is currently working on detailed draft guidelines to assist local authorities in developing their strategies and in giving effect to the provisions of Part V. The framework set out in the draft guidelines will aim to ensure a consistent and practical approach by local authorities in preparing their strategies.
In preparing the guidelines my Department is in contact with a number of local authorities for their consideration and input and there will shortly be consultations with the Irish Home Builders Association. After that the guidelines will be issued in draft form to all local authorities and published generally for comment. I am not aware that any local authority has drafted a housing strategy at this stage.