Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 106: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the policy guidance documents in the planning and housing areas which have been produced which specifically target multi-unit living and the issues of sustainability, well designed quality housing, and proper social community and transport networks; and the legal standing of same. [20781/08]

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 118: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the legal standing of guidelines in relation to planning issued by his Department; the guidelines that have been issued by his office since he took office; and the legal standing of these guidelines. [20777/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 106 and 118 together.

Guidelines for planning authorities are issued by my Department as statutory guidelines under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, which requires planning authorities to have regard to them in the performance of their functions.

In September 2007, I issued Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Sustainable Urban Housing: Design Standards for New Apartments. The primary aim of these guidelines on design standards for new apartments is to promote sustainable urban housing by ensuring that the design and lay-out of new apartments will provide satisfactory accommodation for a variety of household types and sizes, including families with children, over the medium to long term.

More recently in February 2008, I published draft Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Sustainable Residential Development in Urban Areas for public consultation. These draft guidelines promote high design standards in new residential developments, encourage higher density developments at appropriate locations such as those with access to public transport, and emphasise that new residential development must be integrated with facilities and services for the new community.

In addition, Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Development Management and Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Development Plans were issued by my Department in June 2007.

In March 2007, my Department also published design guidelines on housing entitled Quality Housing for Sustainable Communities in follow up to the Government's housing policy statement, Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities, which was published in February 2007.