Minister O’Brien calls for public views on policy approach for compact and diverse housing of the future

 

• New Guidelines for Planning Authorities’ will aim to meet housing needs of more diverse and smaller households 
• Guidelines aim to support compact ‘own door housing’ and responsive and innovative housing design in communities

 
 
The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD, today called for public views on the preferred policy approach towards creating more compact and diverse housing types. 
 
Launching a public consultation on the proposed approach towards, ‘Sustainable and Compact Settlements Guidelines for Planning Authorities’, the Minister emphasised that the aim of the consultation is to secure views and ideas around how we can develop a national policy framework that supports more compact and diverse housing and increase housing supply.
 
The intention is to provide greater flexibility in the future to allow for more compact and sustainable forms of development and greater housing choice. This approach will not preclude traditional forms of housing or apartment development, as the standards set out are minimum, rather than maximum standards.   
 
Finalised guidelines, to be published before the end of June 2023, will seek to build on - and update - the existing Sustainable Residential Developments in Urban Areas: Guidelines for Planning Authorities (2009).  
 
Launching the consultation today, Minister O’Brien said:
 
“While progress continues to be made on housing delivery, this public consultation will help our aim of providing a broader range of housing options to meet the needs of a growing and diverse population. New housing should respond to population needs, enhance communities and facilitate a more sustainable way of building communities. I encourage members of the public to help shape the way forward and to influence the delivery of sustainable residential development in their communities.’’
 
The proposed policy approach focuses on the interaction between residential density, housing standards and quality design and place-making. It proposes:
 

• the continuation of graduated density ranges based on settlement size (e.g. cities, large towns, small and medium sized towns) and general location in each settlement (i.e. central, urban and suburban or edge areas) 
• greater flexibility in design standards such as building separation distances and open space standards. This is in support of the construction of more compact ‘own-door’ housing, alongside traditional housing and apartment developments.
• the highest residential densities at the most central and accessible urban locations, and more compact and sustainable forms of urban development overall. The preferred policy approach states that very high densities should only be developed following a plan-led approach.

 
Among the key proposals for consultation are:
 

• Housing Density: to achieve compact growth, and reflecting the variety of settlements and settlement contexts where residential development takes place, the proposed approach recommends density ranges for cities, metropolitan towns, large towns (10,000+ population), small and medium sized towns (>1,500 to 10,000 population) and rural towns and villages (>1,500 population).  
• Housing standards: recognising the significant population growth forecast and changing demographics, and to achieve compact growth, medium-density housing models should be facilitated, alongside traditional housing and apartment developments. (Details are contained in the Notes to Editor) 
• Quality design and placemaking: the guidelines will provide guidance on this, including indicators that should be applied in the preparation of plans and consideration of individual planning applications. 

 
The proposed guidelines afford greater flexibility in design standards such as building separation distances and open space standards, to support the construction of more compact ‘own-door’ housing, alongside traditional housing and apartment developments. 
 
The Minister of State for Planning and Local Government, Kieran O’Donnell TD, said: 
 
“As we continue to deliver Affordable housing, the new sustainable and compact settlement guidelines will provide for greater flexibility in design standards such as building separation distances and open space standards which supports the construction of more compact ‘own-door’ housing, alongside traditional housing and apartment developments. I would encourage people to give us their views so that we can increase housing supply into the future in a sustainable way, based on best planning practice.”
 
Submissions on the proposed policy approach can be made until 5pm on 27 April. 
 
All submissions will be taken into consideration when finalising the Draft Sustainable and Compact Settlements Guidelines, which will be published in May 2023 and subject to public consultation. The final Guidelines will be published by the end of June 2023.