Mr. Brian Moran:

On SDZs, this point is well documented and it has been picked up in this report. In fact, there is a statement that by the time it is taken through the process, very often it is out of date. I think that has proven to be true in many cases. Interest rates change and building codes change during the process by the time something comes through. We have been involved in delivering an SDZ. Parks have to be delivered, schools have to be delivered and we understand that fully, because they are key components and are part of the social infrastructure to make it work. Then, when it comes back to individual sites, there can be tables, phasing charts and things that were unintended. It had not been intended that that would stop you, but actually, it might do, because circumstances will have changed.

If I take the Dublin Docklands Development Authority as an example, when it did its strategic development zone and master plan, on each block the authority had flexibility. For example, it could be a little bit of this or bit more of that and as long as that height and density was achieved, more flexibility was allowed. What we have seen in some strategic development zone plans is highly restrictive, with tables and charts that almost mean we cannot proceed with it. Then it simply becomes not viable any more. The codes may change or apartment codes change and then the plan does not comply with them at that point in time. Then we are stuck until the local authority initiates a change to go to the board to get something back, which could be 18 months.