Developers issued stern warning

DEVELOPERS have been warned legal action will be taken against them if they do not help provide more land for cheaper housing under an affordable homes strategy.

The head of the Affordable Homes Partnership Agency (AHPA), announced by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern last month, is aiming to provide 10,000 cheaper houses under the scheme. The organisation is chaired by former SIPTU president Des Geraghty.

“Land is the key to providing cheaper housing and if developers are hoarding it I am going to challenge them and if they do not cooperate then I will get the Government to take legal steps to force them,” said Mr Geraghty.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has supported this move by stating the Government will impose the “use it or lose it” provision if necessary to get more land for housing.

The latest official figures show that out of the 77,000 houses built last year only 591 were affordable.

But Mr Geraghty stressed that his approach to developers will initially be more carrot than stick and he is hoping to meet with them shortly to get proposals on how land not zoned for housing could be used.

“I will try to provide incentives for builders to stop hoarding lands by showing them that it is in their interest to make more starter homes available because not everyone has the money to buy at the top end of the market,” Mr Geraghty said.

But once this land is made available for housing, the land will be zoned for this and builders will have to go through the normal planning procedures, he said.

The AHPA has announced one land-swap deal with developers which will see the State handing over public land to builders in Dublin city centre in return for them building 200 affordable homes on their own land in the suburbs.

But many housing organisations and Opposition parties have criticised this scheme because it would see more houses being built in already grossly overcrowded outer commuter belts and hamper efforts to develop sustainable communities within urban centres.

Mr Geraghty defended this pilot land swap scheme as the way to providing more affordable houses as quickly as possible.

Asked if the AHPA will bring in more land swap deals following talks with developers, Mr Geraghty said this could not be decided until talks with the builders and all State agencies was completed.

“Our first task will be to do an audit of all unzoned land currently held by developers and State agencies like local authorities and health executives to see how it can be used for affordable housing,” he said.