Written answers

Thursday, 25 May 2017

Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government

Social and Affordable Housing

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

44. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the detail of the definition of affordable housing; the nature of the affordable housing; if affordable housing will be for rent or for sale; and the mechanism for designing, building and allocating such housing in view of the fact that of the 3,500 units 450 or 15.7% in the Poolbeg SDZ are to be affordable housing. [25025/17]

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

In relation to the Poolbeg Strategic Development Zone, it is intended that of the 3,500 new homes permissible on the site under its Planning Scheme, 900 will be delivered as social and affordable units. Of this, 350 (10%) will be delivered as social housing in accordance with the provisions of Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended). It is also intended that a commercial agreement, with confirmed funding, will be entered into prior to commencement of development, between Dublin City Council, my Department and the owners/developers of the residential element of the overall SDZ area, for a further 550 new homes, the majority of which will be affordable rental housing and the balance provided as social housing with a particular focus on housing for older people.

This objective takes account of and implements Government policy as set out in the Action Plan on Housing and Homelessness: Rebuilding Ireland , including Actions 2.4 and 2.8 (delivery of additional social housing over and above Part V through a variety of means); 2.16 (housing for older people, including assisted living); 3.1 (Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund or LIHAF); and 4.6 (affordable rental), together with policy promoting tenure diversity in the City Council’s Housing Strategy.

As set out in the Strategy for the Rental Sector published in December 2016, the commitment to develop an affordable rental model contained in the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan is now to be progressed through kick-starting supply in rent pressure zones. Lands held by local authorities in rent pressure zones are to be brought to market on a competitive tendering basis, with a view to leveraging the value of the land to deliver the optimum number of units for rent, targeting middle income households, in mixed tenure developments.

In this regard, an important policy intervention in the delivery of new housing supply under Pillar 3 of Rebuilding Ireland is the development of State-owned lands for mixed tenure housing, particularly in the major urban areas, where demand is greatest. On 27 April 2017, I published details of some 2,000 hectares of land in public ownership, which has the potential to deliver up to 50,000 homes nationally.

I have asked all local authorities to be innovative and proactive in developing these sites. The final model for each site will be the subject of careful consideration by the local authority concerned, the elected members included, who are best placed to know and provide for the housing need in their area. Indeed, the Dublin local authorities are well advanced in bringing large-scale sites forward for mixed tenure housing, with projects advertised that can deliver circa 3,000 mixed tenure homes in the Dublin City Council and South Dublin County Council areas alone,

The question of the criteria to apply to determine eligibility for affordable units is currently under consideration.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.