The Irish Planning Institute’s National Planning Conference, taking place in Limerick, will today (Thursday 10th April) be warned of the consequences of ill-considered lower densities and the need to focus on quality place making rather than developer led planning.

In her opening address, IPI President Mary Crowley will address recent commentary blaming the planning system for contributing to a potential property bubble saying “The Housing Agency’s recent report on forecasting a minimum required supply of 80,000 residential units in urban areas up to 2018 presents a significant opportunity to break with the mistakes of the past and ensure a considered, evidence based approach to planning but it also highlights pressure for a return to laissez faire, developer-led planning that must be resisted. Land is a valuable resource and its exploitation comes at a cost so we must focus on building high quality, sustainable places at the right densities in the right place. We cannot go back to the way we were and the approach to development and land use that led us into the crisis in the first place. Temporary, short term, reactionary solutions create further problems in the longer term.”

Crowley will say “Serviced urban land remains a scarce resource that needs effective management. In order to realise places that people and families want to live, work and build communities in, we must think long term. Large volumes of low density housing development produced at minimal cost to the developers and maximum price to the consumer contributed to the problems of the property boom and often made ‘places’ unsustainable as provision of services to low density, remote developments became financially impracticable and ultimately undeliverable. The days of parachute planning and place making must be at an end.”

Discussing the planning regulator proposed by the Mahon Report Crowley warns “In order for the establishment of the Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR) to result in meaningful change in public confidence in the planning system, the Institute believes that the OPR must be independent and that it must be afforded some genuine power to ‘regulate’ specified elements of the planning system, rather than just make recommendations.”

Limerick City and County Council Chief Executive/Manager Conn Murray will address the Conference by presenting the Limerick 2030 Project and outlining the challenges in implementing an economic and spatial plan for the city: “I am delighted to welcome delegates to Limerick, the 2014 National City of Culture and look forward to showcasing our guide to transform the economic, social and physical renaissance of Limerick city centre, the wider county and Mid‐West region,” Mr Murray said. “I’m also pleased that planners from across Ireland will visit some of the key re-development and public realm initiatives in Limerick as well as travel to Regeneration areas to gain a practical understanding of our work in this area. Limerick City and County Council was involved in three award winning projects at the recent IPI Planning Awards which highlight the best examples of planning practice in this country. I’m proud that 

presentations on the principles of these projects which have made an outstanding contribution to the quality of life in Limerick will also be given.”

The conference continues on Friday 11th April with speakers including Minister for Housing and Planning Jan O’Sullivan TD and Mary Birmingham, Head of Asset Management, NAMA.

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