Shay Brennan (Dublin Rathdown, Fianna Fail)
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90. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government how he is enabling local authorities to identify suitable sites for urban development zones; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35841/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The overall aim of the Urban Development Zone (UDZ) process under Part 22 of the Planning and Development Act 2024 (Act of 2024) is to provide for an updated and more flexible approach to the masterplanning and delivery of areas with significant potential for large scale development, including residential development, in tandem with the associated supporting infrastructure.

The UDZ process, when fully enacted, will replace the existing Strategic Development Zone (SDZ) process under Part IX of the Planning and Development Act 2000. My Department recently issued Circular 2025/01 to the Local Authorities and other key stakeholders to notify them of the commencement of Chapters 1 and 2 of Part 22 of the Act of 2024. These legislative provisions set out the initial steps in a broader process concerning the designation of a candidate ‘urban development zone’ and ‘UDZ’, with details of the commencement set out in Planning and Development Act 2024 Commencement Circular No. 2025/01. Only Chapters 1 and 2 of Part 22 consisting of sections 597 to 600 came into operation from 9 June 2025. It is anticipated that the remaining Chapters of Part 22 (providing for matters such as candidate UDZs, planning frameworks, development schemes and UDZ designation) will come into effect alongside Part 3 of the Act of 2024 later this year.

Under Section 597 of the Act of 2024 a planning authority may identify sites in its functional areas where development may be of significant economic, social or environmental benefit to the State and be in the common good. Such sites are referred to as “suitable sites”. As set out in the circular, it is intended that the UDZ designation will be most appropriate for large-scale urban areas in single or multiple land ownerships, that could include public and/or private lands, which have good public transport links and where comprehensive regeneration and development opportunities exist. Given the significant scale of development proposed and the need to prioritise these areas for development, they are intended to be a focus for State investment, in particular in terms of infrastructure investment. UDZs will appropriately be located in areas which are under-utilised and are within or in close proximity to established settlements, in order to ensure that development responds to the compact growth objectives set out within the National Planning Framework.