Dr. Cathal FitzGerald:

The establishment of the LDA as a statutory body is important. Its primary objectives of sustainable urban development and affordable housing are correct. In that regard, it must be equipped with a planning role and the tools to assemble land, including the ability to use CPOs, adopt a master planning approach and harness the land value capture aspect. Those elements are probably still not fully attached to the agency. If it is to fulfil its initial objectives, encompassing regeneration as well as the development of public lands, and assemble lands for those purposes, and even if it does not exercise CPO powers, what we have seen from European examples is these types of agencies operating in the shadow of the law. They do not necessarily have to invoke some of their powers. The ability of such bodies to bring actors together in these undertakings, including landholders, to realise a master plan on a statutory footing is important. Therefore, the establishment of the LDA has been an important development. From our engagement with it, I know the agency is ambitious about what it is trying to do. The LDA is an important player in almost all the examples I cited in the opening statement concerning where TOD is beginning to emerge. My colleague Mr. Cahill may also wish to contribute on this question.