COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

south dublin county council crest

MEETING OF DEVELOPMENT PLAN MEETING

Tuesday, September 01, 2009

MOTION NO. 47

MOTION: Councillor C. King

1.2.41 (Social and Affordable Housing) Amend to remove '15%' and insert '20%'. 

REPORT:

When preparing housing strategies, Housing Authorities are obliged to calculate the percentage of anticipated residential development that would generate an adequate supply of social and affordable housing, The existing strategy 2004 -2010 was adopted in November 2004 and required 15% of residential developments to be reserved for social /affordable housing purposes. The roll out of this existing Strategy has proved successful and is being pursued and continues to receive high levels of co-operation. Having regard to the flexibility introduced by the Planning & Development Act 2000 ( as amended)and having regard to all of the relevant factors a net countywide requirement of 15% affordable/social housing in private residential developments is appropriate. Regard will have to be had of the changing needs of South Dublin County Council during the period of the Strategy (2010-2016), changing market and economic conditions and the most suitable options available to South Dublin County Council under the relevant legislation and housing schemes. In the immediate short term there will be no need for affordable housing, until such time as the current overhang of new unsold housing properties are disposed of, estimated at around  35,000 nationally. The Department of the Environment by Circular letter AHS 1/09 stated that the stock of unsold affordable homes on hands nationally was likely to be in the order of 3,700. There are approximately 11,409 properties for sale in 368 developments on the open market in the Greater Dublin Area. It should be borne in mind that in order to ensure that the housing strategy is kept up to date, planning authorities must review and amend it, if required within 2 years of its preparation. The strategy should also be reviewed where there is a change in housing requirements or in the housing market that could fundamentally affect the existing strategy.

Manager’s Recommendation:

The proposed motion should not be adopted.