Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 April 2017
311. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will consider a revision of planning laws to shorten or restrict the time allowed for unfinished building sites that are not being actively worked on in view of the disruption and unsightliness this can bring to an area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16133/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have no proposals to make substantive changes to current legislation relating to the duration of planning permissions, which provides for a limit of 5 years on the duration of a planning permission, unless otherwise specified in the permission, and for extension of the duration of a planning permission in certain circumstances.
The majority of unfinished developments that are currently inactive are experiencing legal issues involving a number of stakeholders, such as the developer, receiver and financial institutions. Planning authorities have initiated 123 enforcement proceedings on 'unfinished' developments within the last year and the recently published annual progress report on unfinished housing developments shows that there has been an 85% decrease in the number of unfinished developments since 2010, with 248 developments resolved in 2016 alone and 420 developments remaining to be finalised. The report is available on my Department's website at the following link: Resolving Unfinished Housing Developments - 2016 Annual Progress Report.
It is intended to explore all options with the relevant stakeholders in progressing the resolution of unfinished developments, such as developer/funder-led resolution and investigation into options for strategic acquisition. In this connection and in line with Action 5.13 of the Government's Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, published in July 2016, my Department intends to engage with relevant local authorities and the Housing Agency for the purpose of targeting opportunities in relation to the acquisition of vacant or nearly complete units in appropriate developments for social housing purposes.
