Written answers

Tuesday, 24 May 2016

Department of Environment, Community and Local Government

Social and Affordable Housing Provision

Photo of Eoin Ó BroinEoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

223. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the number of planning applications and of units included in the Social Housing Strategy 2020 that have been delayed due to delays in the planning process. [11346/16]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Social Housing Strategy 2020 (November 2014), provides for clear, measurable actions and targets to increase the supply of social housing, reform delivery arrangements and meet the housing needs of all households on the housing list with flexibility to meet future demand. In total, 110,000 new social housing units are targeted for delivery with 35,000 new units to be delivered by local authorities and approved housing bodies, and 75,000 households to be supported mainly through the Housing Assistance Payment Scheme. The Social Housing Strategy 2020 is available on my Department’s website at the following link: .

Under the Strategy, targets have been set for each local authority out to 2017. Importantly, local authorities and approved housing bodies have a strong pipeline of construction, turnkey and acquisition projects, which will deliver some 3,900 homes, with approved budget costs of some €680 million. I am keen that local authorities advance these as soon as possible, but I recognise that all projects must proceed through the planning process and this and other factors can have a direct impact on the timing for the advancement and the delivery of the approved construction projects.

At my meeting with local authority Chief Executives on 12 May 2016, I outlined my ambition that the delivery of homes under each of the social housing programmes should be accelerated and that the targets should be exceeded if possible. In that regard, I have asked all local authority Chief Executives for their ideas and proposals to expedite the delivery of social housing.

My Department does not collect data on the number of social housing units that have been delayed due to delays in the planning process. However, in light of the need to find appropriate solutions to accelerate the delivery of social housing developments, my Department is examining the scope to streamline further the consultation process for the advancement of social housing projects, in accordance with section 179 of the Planning and Development Act 2001, as amended, and Part VIII of the Planning and Development Regulations 2000-2015, balancing both the need to accelerate delivery and the need to get the public's feedback on those projects.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.