Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 July 2020
54. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the strategic housing developments which have been granted permission since July 2017; the number that have had commencement orders granted to them; the number of these permissions that have been completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17652/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 (the Act) introduced new streamlined arrangements to enable planning applications for strategic housing developments (SHDs) of 100 housing units or more, or student accommodation or shared accommodation developments of 200 bed spaces or more, to be made directly to An Bord Pleanála (the Board) for determination.
The Board has received 228 SHD applications up to 30 June 2020, in respect of a total of 62,546 homes (comprising 17,318 houses, 37,912 apartments and 7,316 Build to Rent homes), 13,374 student bed spaces and 600 shared accommodation bed spaces. The Board has granted permission on 137 SHD applications in respect of a total of 37,688 homes (comprising 10,204 houses, 21,709 apartments and 5,775 Build to Rent homes), 9,746 student bed spaces and 410 shared accommodation bed spaces.
Of the applications that were granted permission under the SHD arrangements, it is understood that commencement notices have been lodged in respect of 42 of these projects to date. A total of 10,392 homes were permitted in the developments in respect of which commencement notices have been lodged (comprising 4,658 houses, 5,445 apartments and 289 Build to Rent homes), as well as 5371 student bed spaces.
The recent review of the SHD arrangements highlighted that while they have generally been a success in providing a fast-track development consent process for developers of large-scale housing developments, the number of SHD permissions that have commenced development is less than might have been expected.
Having reflected on the views of the Review Group on the rate of activation of SHD sites, it is considered appropriate that developers should be sufficiently motivated to commence development on foot of an SHD permission in a timely manner, given the efficiencies that the SHD arrangements provide.
In light of the low activation rate of SHD permissions to date, the new Programme for Government – Our Shared Future commits to introducing a ‘use it or lose it’ condition for all planning applications of ten units or more as well as not extending the SHD arrangements beyond their legislative expiry date of 31 December 2021.
