COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SDZ, LAPS AND PLANNING PROJECTS

Friday, January 26, 2018

MOTION NO.30

MOTION: Councillor P. Gogarty

In Section 2.1.6 amend section reading
 
"Social Housing
"All development shall comply with the requirements of Part V of the
Planning and Development Act, 2000 - 2016 (as amended) and with
the South Dublin County Council Housing Strategy with regard to the
provision of Social and Affordable Housing (if further amended).
In accordance with Section 168 (4) of the Planning and Development Act
2000 - 2016(as amended), the following are the stated objectives for
the Planning Scheme:
"To apply a 10% social housing requirement, pursuant to Part V of
the Planning and Development Act 2000 - 2016
(as amended) to all sites in the Planning Scheme that are solely for residential use, or for a mixture of residential and other uses (save where the development
qualifies for a modified or amended obligation or is otherwise
exempted);
"To promote social integration and facilitate a diverse range of
dwelling tenures within housing developments, including social
housing; and
"To ensure an appropriate distribution of new social housing, and to
avoid an excessive concentration of social housing" AS FOLLOWS:
 
Social and Affordable Housing
 
"All development shall comply with the requirements of Part V of the Planning and Development Act, 2000 - 2016(as amended) and with the South Dublin County Council Housing Strategy with regard to the provision of Social and Affordable Housing (if further amended).
 
In accordance with Section 168 (4) of the Planning and Development Act
2000 - 2016 (as amended), the following are the stated objectives for
the Planning Scheme:
 
- To apply a 10% social housing requirement, pursuant to Part V of
the Planning and Development Act 2000 - 2016
(as amended) to all sites in the Planning Scheme that are solely for residential use, or for a mixture of residential and other uses (save where the development
qualifies for a modified or amended obligation or is otherwise
exempted);
 
- To ensure a 25% affordable housing and/or shared ownership requirement on the entire development should this be legally possible under national legislation through any amended planning acts;
 
- To apply, where the development qualifies for a modified or amended obligation or is otherwise exempted and this is within the remit of South Dublin County Council, and subject to Council Housing Strategy:
 
A 10% social, 40% affordable/shared ownership and 50% full market rate housing on Council-owned land, subject to such affordable/shared ownership schemes being part of national legislation and any amended planning acts, with funding for same provided for through such schemes;  or
 
In the absence of any permitted affordable housing schemes, to permit a maximum of 30% social housing on Council owned lands at the time of each application.
 
- "To promote social integration and facilitate a diverse range of dwelling tenures within housing developments, including social and affordable housing; and
 
- "To ensure an appropriate distribution of new social housing, and to

avoid an excessive concentration of social housing by ensuring that:

- no one street or apartment block can consist of more than 30% social housing

- no more than two social housing units can be placed side by side

Cllr G. O'Connell

REPORT:

Response

South Dublin County Council as the planning and housing authority for the area is both obligated and mandated to achieve the best possible outcomes in terms of planned, socially integrated housing provision for all of its citizens within the planning scheme. As a major landowner in control of approx. 22% of the land bank within the plan area it is committed to fully utilising this asset together with the statutory obligations imposed by Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) to maximise the distributed provision of social and affordable housing throughout the SDZ area. The distribution will be subject to appropriate master planning, will involve the integrated development off all lands collectively and where it necessitates commensurate land transfers will be subject to council approval. This integrated approach is aligned to the County Development Plan, the council Housing Strategy, national housing and planning policy and sufficiently agile to allow for the incorporation of any new or additional national strategies supportive of affordability.

Further to the response to Item 56498 and, until such time as Government Policy on Affordable Housing changes, the promotion of Affordable Housing would be inconsistent with Housing Strategy for the County and the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as mended). An increase in the provision for social housing would also be inconsistent with Housing Strategy for the County and the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as mended).

Further to the aspect of the motion that seeks to limit social housing within a block, side by side or within a street, it is advised that the wording of Section 2.1.6 allows for flexibility in relation to how and where social housing is delivered, while avoiding an over concentration in general. The wording of the proposed motion is overly restrictive and would significantly diminish the ability to deliver social housing particularly within an apartment block or row of housing. The extent of a street is also not precisely defined and, within this context, the motion would add uncertainty to the delivery of social housing. In the absence of official research/guidance on such it is considered that the proposed maximums are not appropriate.

In the context of the nature and prescription of Development Areas as precise planning units under the Draft Planning Scheme, it is accepted that Section 2.1.6 could be amended to avoid excessive concentration of social housing units in Development Areas.

Recommendation

It is recommended that this motion is adopted with amendment.

Include the following additional text under Section 2.1.6 (Social Housing):

To ensure an appropriate distribution of new social housing, and to avoid an excessive concentration of social housing in Development Areas.

Strategic Environmental Assessment of Chief Executive’s Recommendation

No interaction with Strategic Environmental Objectives.

Appropriate Assessment Screening of Chief Executive’s Recommendation

No likely significant effects on European sites within the SDZ’s zone of influence are predicted.