Vol. 549 No. 3
281 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government his views on the impact of section 96(15) of the Planning and Development Act, 2000, and the withering of planning permissions on the supply of housing; and his further views on the impact of this for the next four years. [6934/02]
282 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of houses which require external walls to be completed by 31 December 2002 in order to avoid the making of a new application which would lead to delays in the continued delivery of housing supply; and the impact this might have on house completions in the medium term. [6935/02]
283 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the details of the results of his Department's survey of local authorities which was carried out in December 2001 on the number of housing units affected by the terms of section 96(15) of the Planning and Development Act, 2000. [6936/02]
290 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the level of current planning permissions it is envisaged, based on his Department's assessment, which will fall foul of the two year planning permission rule in the greater Dublin area and in the country as a whole. [6470/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 281 to 283, inclusive, and 290 together.
In the interests of ensuring that Part V of the Planning and Development Act, 2000, would apply to all housing developments as soon as possible, provision was made limiting to two years, or until 31 December 2002 whichever is longer, the validity of permissions granted after the announcement of the Part V provisions in August 1999 and before putting information on relevant housing strategies into development plans. The permission withers for any part of the housing development for which the external walls have not been completed.
Based on information received from local authorities, it is estimated that about 2,000 current planning permissions, 79,700 units, nationally, excluding one-off housing, of which 650 planning permissions, 37,400 units, are in the greater Dublin area, GDA, come within the two year rule. Of these, 1,200 permissions, 44,000 units, nationally will expire on 31 December 2002 and 800 permissions, 35,700 units, during 2003. The corresponding figures for the GDA are 480 permissions, 21,000 units, expiring on 31 December 2002 and 170 permissions, 16,400 units, during 2003. An additional 533 relevant applications nationally, 139 for the GDA, for around 28,400 units, 11,600 units for the GDA, are currently awaiting decision and, if granted, will expire during 2004.
Given current demand for housing and recent annual record output, it is likely that many of these planning permissions will be built out within their two year duration. Reapplications will have to be made for any units where external walls have not been completed at the end of the two year period. These reapplications will be subject to Part V social and affordable housing provisions. Local authorities are being advised to process reapplications as quickly as possible to avoid any interruption to the supply of housing. I have also made regulations which reduce the fee to one quarter for these particular reapplications.
