The Irish Planning Institute (IPI) has responded to remarks by NAMA CEO Brendan McDonagh that landowners are hoarding sites that could be used for housing, and subsequent commentary regarding levying vacant sites.

IPI President Deirdre Fallon said “If land hoarding is being identified as an issue measures must be taken to discourage it and bring sites on stream. In many instances these sites have excellent connectivity, the necessary infrastructure and live planning permissions. NAMA’s comments confirm that the issue is not rushing through planning permissions, it is how you activate those that are granted. The key to increasing housing supply at this time does not lie in increasing the number of permissions which are granted each year – though important – but in ensuring that those permissions which are granted are built out more quickly. The vacant sites levy is a tool for this but if the Government are serious about long term sustainable housing and land management rather than a haphazard patchwork of measures a site value tax system must be introduced.”