COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SDZ, LAPS AND PLANNING PROJECTS

Friday, January 26, 2018

MOTION NO. 31

MOTION: Councillor G. O'Connell

Section 2.1.6. South Dublin County Council shall negotiate and have in place before any residential development takes place signed and legally binding protocols that makes it obligatory for all residential development that there be total integration of private, social and affordable housing throughout and specifically that social and affordable housing units be dispersed throughout the development and that there be no more than two social units in any group of 10 homes. Councillors Guss O’Connell, Liona O’Toole, Paul Gogarty and Francis Timmons

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.

Requirements for legally binding agreements are outside the scope of the SDZ Planning Scheme.

Further to the aspect of the motion that seeks to limit social housing within a group of homes, 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 a building or block. The methodology for identifying groups of homes 10 homes (within a block or building) for the purpose of assessment 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 maximum is 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.