New housing measures fail to address challenges businesses are facing - Cork Chamber
'It won’t make a significant difference in Cork to the 8,000 units with planning permission that await activation.' File picture: Tom Coakley
Cork Chamber said the Government's new housing measures lack ambition and has warned that a large cohort of the working population will still remain locked out of the housing market.
The business representative body said a greater level of investment was needed than those outlined. While they said the waiving of the development levy will kick-start some dormant planning applications it won’t make a significant difference in Cork to the 8,000 units with planning permission that await activation.
"The focus on cost-rental homes in this latest housing package by Government is well-intentioned but lacks ambition and the conditions associated with obtaining these planned units will leave large sections of the workforce excluded,” Cork Chamber CEO, Conor Healy said.
"For these plans to have any meaningful impact the scope and level of investment in the scheme must be extended and the income qualification thresholds for people to apply must be significantly increased. Accommodation availability to support talent attraction and retention is the top issue for our members at present and this plan will not alleviate those concerns."
The Government plan announced this week includes higher grants to bring more vacant property back into use and commencing work under the Cost Rental programme on thousands of affordable rental apartments which are currently not being progressed.
However, Cork Chamber again renewed its call for targeted and time-bound, tax-based interventions to stimulate immediate change and get high-density developments off the ground.
“If we don’t build suitable, affordable accommodation we will lose skilled workers to countries that can deliver housing," Mr Healy said.
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