Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 5 May 2021
45. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a commitment will be made not to extend the strategic housing development planning process and to allow for a return to a two stage planning process with the local authorities as the primary planning authority and An Bord Pleanála providing for an appropriate appeals mechanism. [22937/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra104. Deputy Francis Noel Duffy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the new arrangements being considered by his Department to replace the strategic housing development scheme; and the elements of the scheme that will remain given their lower commencement rate compared to the existing local authority planning process. [22484/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 45 and 104 together.
The 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 for determination.
The Programme for Government - Our Shared Future commits to not extending the SHD arrangements beyond their legislative expiry date of end December 2021, which has now been extended to 25 February 2022 arising from the Covid-related extension of duration of statutory deadlines within the planning system by 8 weeks in respect of the period March to May 2020.
Work is ongoing on the development of new legislative proposals for the wind-up of the current SHD arrangements and the submission of large-scale housing planning applications (including student accommodation) to local planning authorities. It is intended to publish a General Scheme in this regard as soon as possible.
