Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Under section 10 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, planning authorities are required, when making a development plan for their area, to include objectives for the zoning of land for the use solely or primarily of particular areas for particular purposes, which can include residential purposes. Section 95 requires that sufficient and suitable land is zoned for residential use, or for a mixture of residential and other uses, to meet the requirements of the housing strategy. Section 96 provides that, where applicable, a condition of planning permission shall require an agreement to be entered into with the planning authority under Part V in relation to the provision of social and affordable housing.

This approach, which is also reflected in the Planning and Development Bill 2023, is the appropriate means to support the delivery of affordable housing through the statutory planning process. We have discussed this at length during the Committee Stage debate on the Bill. I appreciate the engagement of all Deputies on that extensive Bill, which is still being debated. It would not be appropriate to designate the housing type or tenure to be attached to residential zonings as it would restrict the delivery of the mix of tenures needed to meet the diverse housing needs of local communities and the ability of those developing affordable housing to respond to the range of supports available across the area covered by the plan. As we discussed previously, it is through the housing strategy that local authorities can determine the types and mixes of housing they require in their functional areas.

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