I am assuming that the question relates to the provision of rural housing for people native to rural areas and that is the basis of my reply.
Since 2018, the National Planning Framework (NPF) is the national planning policy document providing overall strategic policy for the future development of Ireland through specific National Policy Objectives (NPOs) that aim to support the overall rural and small town pattern of development in Ireland and deliver strengthened and diversified rural communities.
Importantly, NPO 19 of the NPF aims to ensure that a policy distinction is made between areas experiencing significant overspill development pressure from urban areas, particularly within the commuter catchment of cities, towns and centres of employment, on the one hand, and other remoter and weaker rural areas where population levels may be low and or declining, on the other. NPO 19 is also aligned with the established approach whereby considerations of social (intrinsic part of the community) or economic (persons working full or part time) need may be applied by planning authorities in rural areas under urban influence.
Under the Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Sustainable Rural Housing 2005, which were issued under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 as amended, planning authorities are required to frame the planning policies in their development plans in a balanced and measured way that ensures the housing needs of rural communities are met, while avoiding excessive urban-generated housing. The Guidelines are available on the Government’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/23809-sustainable-rural-housing-development-guidelines/.
Updated Rural Housing Planning Guidelines are currently being prepared that will continue to allow for the development of homes in rural areas while also highlighting the need to manage certain areas around cities and towns in order to avoid over-development of those areas. I expect to receive an initial draft guidelines document in the coming weeks. Given the complexity of the issues involved, the need for environmental assessment and both internal and external consultation, I expect final updated guidelines to be available later in 2021.
In the interim, the NPF objectives together with the 2005 Guidelines, enable planning authorities to continue to draft and adopt county development plan policies for one-off housing in rural areas. My Department communicated to planning authorities (Circular letter PL 2/2017) on 31 May 2017, advising them that the existing 2005 Guidelines remain in place until advised otherwise by the Department.
In relation to the granting of permissions by local authorities, in making a decision in respect of an application for planning permission, planning authorities (and An Bord Pleanála in relation to planning appeals) are required to consider such applications in the context of the relevant Development Plan, or Local Area Plan where one exists for the area, as well as any relevant Ministerial Guidelines.
It is noteworthy that there has been strong delivery of new homes in rural areas nationally in recent years – with more than 25,000 rural house planning permissions granted in last 5 years. In the same period, more than 90% of that number of rural homes were built, comprising around one in three out of all houses completed in Ireland between 2016 and 2020.
Finally, it is unlikely that the construction of rural housing as opposed to scheme housing or apartments would have any alleviating impact on the construction sector. There are diseconomies including supply chain and transaction costs associated with developing housing on multiple dispersed sites in comparison to larger-scale projects on a single site.
