Arthur Spring (Kerry North-West Limerick, Labour)
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1500. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he has considered the introduction of a vacant site levy in cities to increase the supply and development of land to meet housing demands. [33289/14]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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As Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, my role in relation to the planning system is to oversee the provision and updating of the planning legislative and policy framework, including as articulated through statutory planning guidelines, to secure the proper planning and sustainable development of the country as a whole, including urban areas.

While responsibility for planning at local level is a matter for local authorities within this framework, I am continuing to ensure that the most relevant legislative and policy framework is available to support authorities in the exercise of their planning functions and facilitate the adequate and appropriate provision of facilities, infrastructure and development to support residential and commercial developments within their areas.

In this regard, I continue to keep under review the need for any further legislative changes and policy measures, and where I am satisfied there is a sufficient evidence base, I will advance proposals accordingly, including any appropriate targeted initiatives for urban areas such as measures to encourage landowners or developers to bring forward sustainable urban development proposals. In this regard, I intend to introduce a new Planning Bill later this year to facilitate the implementation of certain planning-related actions in the Government’s Construction 2020Strategy published in May 2014. Action 23 of the Strategy commits to examining the possibility of enabling local authorities, should they wish to do so, to adopt new measures to incentivise the use and development of vacant sites in urban areas. A final decision on this matter will be taken in the context of the forthcoming Planning Bill.

Arthur Spring (Kerry North-West Limerick, Labour)
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1501. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his views that the granting of planning permission for the conversion of small apartments to suitable sized homes for young families should be fast-tracked. [33291/14]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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Section 34(8) of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, provides that a planning authority shall make its decision on a planning application within the period of 8 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the planning authority of the application. Accordingly, planning authorities normally decide planning application within 8 weeks, unless further information is required.

Where an appeal is lodged with An Bord Pleanála in relation to a planning decision by a local authority, the Board has a statutory objective under section 126(2) of the Act of 2000 to determine the matter within 18 weeks. The compliance rate with the statutory objective period for normal planning appeals stood at 81% for the period January to August 2014, and the average time taken was 16 weeks.

I do not consider these timeframes unduly long.

Construction 2020, A Strategy for a Renewed Construction Sector, published in May 2014, acknowledges that, there are existing planning permissions for developments – whether residential, commercial or industrial - that have become unviable due to developments in the market but, nevertheless might with modification - for example to change the number of apartments vis-à-vis ‘own door’ houses in a given residential scheme - be able to proceed. As further stated in the Strategy, while it is important that third parties, including other local residents, have the opportunity to have their voices heard in relation to such modifications, my Department will examine whether there is scope to provide a more streamlined process for certain alterations of planning permission in relation to developments of this kind.