Calls for referendum on sale of land

A REFERENDUM must be held asking the people to sanction the sale of private property for major projects that are for the common good and promote social justice.

This will be one of the main recommendations of an All-Party Committee on the Constitution when it publishes its report on housing land at the end of the month, according to committee chairman Deputy Denis O’Donovan.

The major projects designated for the common good and in line with the principles of social justice will include motorways, metros, underground tunnels and major social housing projects.

The constitution committee’s report will also be highly critical of our “archaic” planning regulations that are causing huge delays and it will call for a major streamlining of the system, said Mr O’Donovan.

They are proposing the setting up of a one-stop planning authority to fast-track the building of major projects like motorways that can get bogged down by objections and the number of local authorities that have to process the project.

“The four-year delay in getting the Cork-Dublin motorway sanctioned has led to a doubling of the cost to 1 billion and this cannot continue,” said Mr O’Donovan.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern asked the constitution committee 18 months ago to investigate how more land could be freed up for housing and if it would be possible to cap this land without breaching the constitutional right to own private property.

But the committee will not be recommending capping the price of housing land, because this could lead to a collapse in the housing market with developers refusing to release land onto the market, said Mr O’Donovan.

Instead, the committee will be recommending that:

Huge levies of up to 40% be imposed on developers who hoard land after the first year of securing planning.

Major taxes be imposed on the massive windfalls made from rezoning because the zoning of land is not a personal asset.

Developers be forced to register the secret options they have on lands with farmers so a real picture of hoarded land can be secured.

The committee is set to have a final meeting with its adviser, constitutional law expert Professor Gerard Hogan, next week before they finalise recommendations.

Professor Hogan has advised the committee that the current articles in the Constitution pertaining to property rights need to be tidied up.