Mr. Eddie Taaffe:

The Deputy has raised a pertinent issue, in that local authorities will be reopening their development plans based on the new national planning framework guidelines and targets that will be issued by the Minister and the Department in the coming weeks. That will allow the core strategies of local authorities, including housing strategies, to specify the population growth in each town and village through the various tiers. That work must be done in a consultative way with the public and councillors, and councillors will ultimately decide that as a reserved function of the county development plan.

When it comes to large areas, local authorities are adept at doing this. They will master plan such areas. On the face of it, 7,500 houses is a huge amount of housing and might be appropriate, but it is only appropriate where there is a sufficient supply of community services and infrastructure provided in tandem so that there are schools, cycle lanes, roadways and public parks. We must also ensure that everybody is very clear when a big area is due to be developed that the work is done in a planned way as opposed to a piecemeal one. That is the approach that local authorities will adopt for significant developments.

Density levels are set at a national level. Local authorities must adhere to national guidelines and we are mandated to follow design guidelines. We have good examples of where densities can and are being met but they are met in a sustainable way.

The key to it is identifying early and providing the supporting infrastructure and community facilities to go with that level of development as early as possible.