From Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
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The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, today (Thursday 30 March) called for public views on the preferred policy approach towards creating more compact and diverse housing types.
Launching a public consultation on the proposed approach towards, Sustainable and Compact Settlements Guidelines for Planning Authorities the Minister emphasised that the aim of the consultation is to secure views and ideas around how we can develop a national policy framework that supports more compact and diverse housing and increase housing supply.
The intention is to provide greater flexibility in the future to allow for more compact and sustainable forms of development and greater housing choice. This approach will not preclude traditional forms of housing or apartment development, as the standards set out are minimum, rather than maximum standards.
Finalised guidelines, to be published before the end of June 2023, will seek to build on - and update - the existing Sustainable Residential Developments in Urban Areas: Guidelines for Planning Authorities (2009).
Launching the consultation, Minister O’Brien said:
“While progress continues to be made on housing delivery, this public consultation will help our aim of providing a broader range of housing options to meet the needs of a growing and diverse population. New housing should respond to population needs, enhance communities and facilitate a more sustainable way of building communities. I encourage members of the public to help shape the way forward and to influence the delivery of sustainable residential development in their communities."
The proposed policy approach focuses on the interaction between residential density, housing standards and quality design and place-making. It proposes:
Among the key proposals for consultation are:
Housing Density: to achieve compact growth, and reflecting the variety of settlements and settlement contexts where residential development takes place, the proposed approach recommends density ranges for cities, metropolitan towns, large towns (10,000+ population), small and medium sized towns (>1,500 to 10,000 population) and rural towns and villages (>1,500 population).
Housing standards: recognising the significant population growth forecast and changing demographics, and to achieve compact growth, medium-density housing models should be facilitated, alongside traditional housing and apartment developments. (Details are contained in the Notes section.)
Quality design and placemaking: the guidelines will provide guidance on this, including indicators that should be applied in the preparation of plans and consideration of individual planning applications.
The proposed guidelines afford greater flexibility in design standards such as building separation distances and open space standards, to support the construction of more compact ‘own-door’ housing, alongside traditional housing and apartment developments.
The Minister of State for Planning and Local Government, Kieran O’Donnell, said:
“As we continue to deliver affordable housing, the new sustainable and compact settlement guidelines will provide for greater flexibility in design standards such as building separation distances and open space standards which supports the construction of more compact ‘own-door’ housing, alongside traditional housing and apartment developments. I would encourage people to give us their views so that we can increase housing supply into the future in a sustainable way, based on best planning practice.”
Submissions on the proposed policy approach can be made until 5pm on Thursday 27 April.
All submissions will be taken into consideration when finalising the Draft Sustainable and Compact Settlements Guidelines, which will be published in May 2023 and subject to public consultation. The final Guidelines will be published by the end of June 2023.
You can view or download a copy of the proposed Sustainable and Compact Settlements Guidelines for Planning Authorities approach. To make a submission or observation you can do so via email to nrupconsultation@housing.gov.ie or in writing to:
Sustainable and Compact Settlements Guidelines Consultation: National, Regional and Urban Planning Section, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Custom House, Dublin 1, D01 W6X0.
Housing standards: recognising the significant population growth forecast and changing demographics, and to achieve compact growth, medium density housing models should be facilitated, alongside traditional housing and apartment developments. Among the standards it recommends are:
The guidelines, when finalised, will constitute Ministerial Guidelines under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. Section 28 provides that planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála shall have regard to Ministerial guidelines in the performance of their functions under the Planning and Development Act.