Housing chiefs call for crackdown on objections to new homes and infrastructure

LDA, Uisce Éireann and developers urge tougher rules on housing objections, warning planning delays risk stalling critical homes and infrastructure projects. Picture: Getty

Major players in the housing sector have called on the Government to get tough with objectors to housing and infrastructure projects, saying there should be a social stigma associated with objections to developments that serve the "greater good".

The chief executive of the State's Land Development Agency (LDA), John Coleman, raised concerns about a “cultural phenomenon” in Ireland that sees judicial reviews taken against major housing and infrastructure projects.

“Why isn’t it a social stigma to object to schemes that are critical for the greater good?” Mr Coleman said.

“On the mechanics of judicial reviews, how do we make a higher bar to object? It can prevent the scheme that everyone needs from going ahead.”

The LDA chief was speaking during a Beauchamps housing conference in Dublin, where he said the State has hamstrung itself by "gold-plating" environmental regulations handed down by the EU.

Angela Ryan, a senior manager for asset management at Uisce Éireann, raised concerns about projects being stuck in the planning system, citing long lead-in times for developments that are crucial to delivering new homes. 

“The lead-in times for projects have extended significantly. We can have a major project that might only take four and a half years to construct, but can be going through planning and consenting stages and approval stages for 10 years prior to that,” Ms Ryan said.

The chief executive of the State's Land Development Agency (LDA), John Coleman, raised concerns about a 'cultural phenomenon' in Ireland that sees judicial reviews taken against major housing and infrastructure projects. Picture: Mike Shaughnessy / exporsure.ie

'Checks and balances'

Ms Ryan accepted there is a need for “checks and balances” within the planning system, but said they must be weighted correctly.

She called for a streamlined planning process for critical infrastructure, saying these projects can have a knock on impact on the economy and jobs.

Stephen Garvey, the chief executive of housing building giant Glenveagh, called on the Government to take zoning powers away from local authorities if they decline to zone significant levels of land for housing development.

Housing minister James Browne has instructed local authorities to begin the process of revising their development plans, with an explicit call to zone land for up to 55,000 homes per year.

Mr Garvey said the 55,000 target should be a “floor” for zoning and, if councils don’t meet that target, Mr Browne should intervene.

“The minister has ultimate power here. If he uses the planning regulators office to say ‘that’s now a minimum, that’s a floor that you all have to get to. If you don’t enact that, I’ll take the powers from you’,” Mr Garvey said.

It comes as Mr Browne said the Government’s revised housing plan would be published in either late September or early October.